E. HARTERT : BRITISH PECULIAR EORMS. 211 



a. — LoxiA cuRviROSTEA scoTicA Hart. 



Scottish Mountain Crossbill. 



Loxia curvirostra scotica Hartert, " Vog. pal. Fauna," L, 

 p. 120 (1904). 



In Scotland occurs a form of Crossbill which stands 

 between the Parrot-Crossbill, L. pityopsittacus, and the 

 Common Crossbill, L. curvirostra. Its bill is huge, but 

 not as high as that of the Parrot-Crossbill ; the wings of 

 the males measure 100-104 mm. Such birds I have seen 

 in the collections of Col. Peilden and Messrs. Harvie-Brown 

 (type East Ross-shire, 26, xii, 1870), and Millais, and in 

 the Edinburgh Museum. They are very striking, and are 

 a most interesting form, which appears to be rare. I hope 

 that Scottish ornithologists will collect more material, 

 which I want badly. I have elsewhere explained my 

 reasons for looking upon this form as a subspecies of 

 L. curvirostra {Vog. pal. Fauna, I., pp. 116, 117). 



4. — Caeduelis cakduelis britannicus (Hart.). 



British Goldfinch. 



Acanthis carduelis hritannicus Hartert, "Vog. pal. Fauna" I., 

 p. 68 (1903 — Great Britain; typical locality : Sussex). 



Differs from the continental form by its darker, more 

 olive-brown upper surface, while the white nuchal patch 

 is not well developed, the ear-coverts, rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts are more or less tinged with brown, and the 

 sides of the body are darker and more uniform brown. 

 The red of the head is generally very bright. 



There is little wonder that the Goldfinch, which forms 

 so many local races, should be represented by a special 

 subspecies in the British Isles. 



