REDPOLES. og 
amongst the branches of a birch, placing their little bodies in every con- 
ceivable position, like Willow-Wrens or Tits. 
The three races of Redpoles differ but slightly in their notes. Besides the 
twittering note which they have in common with most Finches, and which 
is constantly heard as they fly in small parties or large flocks, they have a 
very distinct call-note, which, as far as I know, is only heard when the 
bird is perched. It is very difficult to express the notes of birds on paper ; 
-but the call-note of the Lesser Redpole sounds in my ears as much lke 
the French word henri as a whistle can produce. The note of the Mealy 
Redpoles which winter in Germany cannot be very different. Naumann 
represents it by the word hoing, long drawn out, and says that it is fre- 
quently heard at the nest, probably quoting Bechstein, who found them 
breeding in Thuringia. These Redpoles, which sometimes breed in 
Germany, are probably not Mealy Redpoles at all, but Lesser Redpoles ; 
for in Siberia the note is certainly different. JI had abundant opportunities 
of listening to it, both in the valley of the Petchora and in that of the 
Yenesay. During the long weary waiting for summer to come, one of our 
favourite methods of killing time was to watch the flocks of Snow-Buntings 
and Redpoles. The note of the latter was by no means the clear, liquid 
henri of our bird, but a thick and far less musical note, like the sound of 
zh, so modulated and drawn out as to appear bisyllabic. The note of our 
bird is nearly allied to the note of the Canary or Siskin, that of the Siberian 
bird to the note of the Greenfinch, Brambling, or Snow-Bunting. The 
notes of the Redpoles in the Engadine in autumn resembled the word 
mvee-ik, and evidently signified “‘My dear, where are you?” “ My love, come 
here.” This note is quite distinct from the ordinary chit, chit, chit, which 
seems to mean “ Come on, come on; there’s a noise.” 
Of the note of the Greenland Redpole Brooks writes to me :—“ As it flies 
it utters quite a different note from that of the Mealy Redpole, more of a 
prolonged Sparrow-like chirp, but shriller. When it alights it utters the 
Canary-like ‘ too-wee’ call-note, as the Mealy Redpole also does.” From 
this we might conclude that it is the Siberian bird which has a distinct 
note (an argument which might be used for the distinctness of F. exilipes). 
I unfortunately neglected to make any memoranda of the notes of this bird 
in Lapland. 
Our information respecting the song of the Redpoles is also very 
unsatisfactory. I have listened scores of times to what I call its song 
in the neighbourhood of Sheffield, where the bird is very common 
and breeds regularly within three miles of the centre of the town. [ 
describe it as a short monotonous trill, clear, shrill, and not altogether 
unmusical. Itis one of those songs whose charm cannot be analyzed ; but, 
for some reason or other, it has always been a great favourite of mine, 
possibly on account of the extreme beauty of the nest of the utterer, an 
