FRINGILLID.E — THE FIXCHES. 499 



Sp. Char. Autumnal female. Greenland race (canescen/i). (23,377, Greenland, Univ. 

 Zool. Mus. Copenhagen.) In general appearance like the corresponding plumage of ^. 

 Unarms, but the whole rump immaculate white ; frontal band more than twice as wide as 

 in Unarms, and better defined ; lower tail-coverts without streaks, their shafts even being 

 white. Carmine vertical patch only a little wider than the whitish frontal patch ; head 

 with a strong ochraceous suffusion. Wing, 3.30 ; tail, 2.90 ; bill, .35 and 30 ; tarsus, .CO ; 

 middle toe, .32. Wing-formula, 1, 2. and 3. 



Hab. Greenland. Variations with season probably as in smaller Continental race. 



Adult of both sexes in spring. Continental race (exiUpes). As described for the Green- 

 land form, but without the ochraceous suffusion. Sides very sparsely streaked. 



Male in spring. Breast only tinged with delicate peach-blossom-pink, this extending 

 farther hack medially than laterally, — just the reverse of ^. linarins ; a very faint tinge 

 of the same in the white of the rum]). Measurements (Xo. 19,086, Fort Simpson, April 

 30, 1860 ; B. R Ross, Coues's type) : Wing, 3.00 ; tail. 2 55 ; bill, .29 and .25 ; tar.?us, .52 ; 

 middle toe, .30 ; wing-formula, 2. 1, 3, 4. 



Female in spring. Similar, but lacking all red except that of the pileum, which is less 

 intense, though not more restricted, .than in the male. Measurements (No. 19,700, Fort 

 Simpson, April 28; B. R. Ross): Wing, 2.80; tail, 2.35 ; bill, .25 and .22; tarsus, .51; 

 middle toe, .30. 



Both sexes in autumn. ( 9 , Fort Rae.) The white of the whole plumage, except on the 

 rump, overspread by awash of pale ochraceous, this deepest anteriorly; on the. anterior 

 upper parts a deep tint of ochraceous entirely replacing the wliite ; wing-markings broader 

 and more ochraceous than in the spring plumage. Wing, 2.85 ; tail, 2.50 ; bill, .30 and .25 ; 

 tarsus, .51 ; middle toe, .30. 



Hab. Continental arctic America. In winter south into the United States (as far as 

 Mount Carroll, Illinois). 



Though ^. canescens is nearly identical with JE. luiarii's in size, these two 

 species may always be distinguished i'roni each otlier l)y certain well-marked 

 and constant differences in coloration ; the principal of these have been men- 

 tioned in the synoptical table, but a few other points may be noted here. In 

 spring males of canescens the delicate rosaceous-pink of the breast does not 

 extend up on to the cheeks, and backward it extends farther medially than 

 laterally, scarcely tingeing the sides at all ; while in ^E. linariiis the intensely 

 rosaceous, almost carmine, tint covers the cheeks, and extends backward 

 much farther laterally than medially, covering nearly the whole sides. 



Though the weakness, or shortness, of the toes compared with the tarsus, 

 is a feature distinguishing, upon almost microscopical comparison, the JE. ca- 

 nescens in its two races from the races of yE. lina.rius, it will not by any means 

 serve to distinguish ccincscens and crilipcs, since, as will be seen by the meas- 

 urements given, the proportion of the toes to the tarsus is a specific, and not 

 a race, character. (Ridgway.) 



Habits. The history of the Mealy Eed-Poll can only be presented witli 

 some doubts and uncertainties. We cannot always determine how far the 

 accounts given by others may have belonged to this species, and we can only 

 accept, with some reserve, their statements. 



This form, whether species or race, is known to inhabit Greenland, where, 

 according to Dr. Eeinhardt, it is constantly resident, and I have received its 



