210 



FKINGILLII) K. 



seems to 1>e the pine-forests of Scandinavia and Northern 

 Russia, in which it breeds from the interior of Lapland to 

 the middle of Norway and Sweden as well as to Livonia and 

 Estonia. The elder Von Nordmann states also that it breeds 

 numerously in the Ghouriel mountains, but it does not seem 

 to reach the Ural. It appears, chiefly as a winter-visitant, 

 in Poland and Germany, but is said to have been found 

 breeding in the latter. It also occasionally reaches Holland, 

 Belgium and France, besides Italy if authors may be credited, 

 but is unknown in Spain, while its appearance in Greece is 

 open to doubt. In all the details of reproduction it resembles 

 L. curvirostra, but the nest and eggs as might be expected 

 are generally somewhat larger — the latter measuring from 

 •95 to -87 by from -C>9 to -62. 



It is impossible to give any description of the plumage 

 of this bird which would distinguish it from the commoner 

 form, though the red is sometimes brighter. Wheelwright 

 says he has found the cock breeding in bright yellow apparel, 

 but that only once, and it seems to be subject to exactly the 

 same laws as regards its change of colour as L. curvirostra. 

 Herr Meves however mentions (QEfvers. Vet. Ak. Forh. 1860, 

 p. 211) a hen bird in red dress. Mr. Dresser who has per- 

 haps examined more specimens of both birds than any one 

 else gives the following as the measurements of each : — 



L. pityopsittacus : — Whole length from Cr3 to 7, wing 

 from 4 to 4*3, tail from 2'7 to 2*8, tarsus '75, culmen -1), 

 height of bill at base •(>, width of mandible at base '5 in. 



L. curvirostra : — Whole length from 5'7 to G, wing from 

 3*7 to 3*9, tail from 2*5 to 2*7, tarsus from •<> to *65, culmen 

 from - 75 to "85, height of bill at base "5, width of mandible 

 from -37 to '4 in. 



