LESSER REDPOLL. 151 



hedgerows, the majority and especially the young of the year 

 keep to the unenclosed districts and migrate southward. 

 Of these again a considerable number leave this country 

 altogether and resort, as has been already noticed, to the 

 Continent, but enough always remain with us during the 

 winter to render their appearance, except in the extreme west 

 of England and Ireland, no rare event. Many a dull day 

 at that time of year is enlivened to the outdoor naturalist hy 

 his encountering a flock of Redpolls, for to watch their agile 

 movements as they flit from tree to tree or swing back-down- 

 wards from the ends of the pendulous branches, all the 

 while keeping up an incessant twittering, invariably affords 

 interest and amusement. At this season, and even earlier, 

 they often associate with Siskins in their search for food, 

 and eat the buds as well as the seeds of trees, proving in 

 this way, says Selby, seriously injurious to young plantations, 

 but in general their numbers cannot be sufficient to pro- 

 duce any great damage. Occasionally too they will fall in 

 with a troop of some species of Titmouse, but the incongruous 

 companionship does not last long. The same locality is 

 seldom frequented for any length of time : in a few days, or 

 perhaps little more than a week, the supply of food it fur- 

 nishes is exhausted, and then the party rove off in some 

 other direction. Towards the end of winter the cocks break 

 out in song, which though not powerful is lively and agree- 

 able, and begin to indulge in the characteristic exultant flight 

 during which it is generally uttered. Pairing is effected 

 without much more than the show of contention, and the 

 mated couples, who exhibit the strongest tokens of mutual 

 affection, shortly after look out a convenient home for the 

 ensuing season. 



In summer the bill of the cock is brownish horn-colour, 

 the lower mandible tinged with yellow at the base : the 

 irides dusky brown : the feathers covering the nostrils light 

 brown ; lores and ear-coverts blackish-brown mixed with 

 rufous on the latter; forehead to behind the eyes glossy 

 blood-red ; the rest of the head, nape, mantle and upper 

 wing-coverts, dark brown, the feathers more or less broadly 



