41 G THE LESSER REDPOLL. 



On May 15th, 1884, I got one with five eggs near Kittock's 

 Den. They come here in winter in flocks, along with the brown 

 linnet and lesser redpoll. In 1887 many were caught amongst 

 the snow with noosed hairs and under riddles. Some had 

 yellow foreheads. Three were kept caged all winter along with 

 some lesser redpolls, but being wild and untameable, they were 

 set free in spring to seek haunts more congenial to their nature, 

 while the more docile redpolls were kept. And as it has not 

 such a sweet song as the last, my young friends need not trouble 

 catching it in winter, nor looking for its nest in summer on the 

 links. It is known by its less size, yellow bill, black feet, crown 

 and back of the head margined with yellow or pale reddish- 

 brown, and the rump fine purplish-red, which in the male is 

 rose-red in summer, and the bill becomes lighter. They have 

 two yellowish bands across the wings ; female similar but 

 lighter, without the red on the rump. They mingle freely with 

 the others in winter, and also feed on seeds. 



The Lesser Redpoll. 



(Linaria Minor.) Ray. (Frinr/illa Linoria.) Linn. 



" Oh, sweet are Coila's haughs and woods, 

 When lintwhites chant amang the buds." — Burns. 



This is not only our smallest linnet, but one of our smallest 

 native birds, only 4| long by 8 J in extent of wings, against 3f 

 by 6J in gold-crested wren, and 4J by 6J in the Jenny wren. 

 Like the last, it frequents mountainous districts and glens where 

 there is underwood, and only comes here during severe winters 

 in flocks along with other linnets. It also feeds on seeds, pre- 

 ferring plantations of birch and alder trees. When feeding on 

 the catkins of its favourite tree, the alder, it hangs back down- 

 wards like the tits, and is often so engrossed as to be caught 

 with a long stick smeared with bird-lime, or a hairy noose. 

 Selby has caught them with bird-lime when thus engaged. 

 But Nature sometimes makes her own bird-lime in the shape of 

 chestnut-tree-buds, on which gold crests and lesser redpolls are 

 caught. An eye-witness says, April 27th, 1889 — 



" I saw a very small bird fluttering on a chestnut bud trying to release 

 iU-elf from an invisible tie. At first I thought the bird's nails had become 



