418 THE LESSER REDPOLL. 



pinkish hue, like the metallic gloss of the pigeon's neck. In the 

 same flocks, others with similar markings but larger were caught 

 beneath the same riddles, which, I think, were a distinct species, 

 as I carefully inspected them — the one the greater, the other the 

 lesser redpoll — both smaller than the common brown linnet. 

 Bewick in his " British Birds" believed in two distinct species. 

 He says — " The greater redpoll loses the red breast in autumn, 

 and regains it in spring. In this it differs from the grey 

 linnet, whose plumage remains the same at all seasons." On 

 this Selby says — 



" It can be no other than the common or brown linnet of a particular 

 .age, although he has attached to it the Linnrean synonyms of the lesser 

 redpoll. If Mr Bewick's observations were made upon caged birds, I am 

 not surprised, for I have repeatedly verified the fact of the brown linnet 

 never acquiring those brilliant tints in confinement which distinguish it at 

 a, certain time of the year when at liberty. For a linnet was shot in 

 summer when in its most perfect nuptial tint ; and, being only winged, 

 was put in a cage, where it soon became familiarized, and still is. It 

 moulted, and acquired the winter dress of the common brown linnet, which 

 it lias retained ever since, without displaying any of the brilliant red that 

 adorned it in the wild state." 



This may be true, but I knew an instance of it renewing its 

 rose-tinted summer dress for several years in a cage ; but change 

 of food may rule the change in colour, as birds have a greater 

 choice of seeds in a wild state than they ever can have in a cage. 

 It is quite possible the question may not yet be definitely 

 settled, as Mr Selby, in a note, admits that " a large variety of 

 the lesser redpoll is noticed by Temminck as sometimes met 

 with in this country, nearly equal in size to the common linnet, 

 but the markings and colour are those of the lesser redpoll, so 

 am inclined to think they are not a distinct species, but only 

 extra-sized specimens of the female Linaria Minor." But it is 

 unlikely the females would be so much larger than the males. 

 Macgillivray says — " Some birds of a larger size than the 

 common redpoll having been observed in Britain of late years 

 have been variously considered as a larger race of the last 

 species, or a distinct species, to which the name of mealy linnet, 

 Linaria Canescens, has been given by Mr Gould, and belongs to 

 the Fringilla Borealis of Temminck." So I may be justified in 

 thinking those " extra-sized specimens of the female redpoll" 

 caught here along with the lesser redpoll were a distinct species, 

 possibly the mealy redpoll, Linaria Canescens of Gould. When 

 caught in December 1887 they were along with lesser redpolls, 

 twites, and common brown linnets. They were larger and 

 lighter in colour than the lesser redpolls, and may be another 



