384 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



A nest taken near Cut-throat, Labrador, June 15, 1896, 

 was said to have been placed six feet up in a spruce tree 

 against the trunk. It is described as composed of weed stems, 

 down from willow catkins, feathers and lichens, lined with 

 feathers of Ptarmigan, Grouse, etc. The four eggs now before 

 me are bluish white, speckled with reddish brown and umber, 

 chiefly at the larger ends. These eggs measure 0.65 x 0.48, 

 0.69 X 0.49, 0.66 x 0.50, 0.65 x 0.50. Four to seven eggs 

 are said to be laid but the more usual number is four or five. 



528a. Acanthis linaria holbcellii (Brehm). Holboell's Red- 

 poll. 



Plumage : similar to that of the Redpoll to which you are referred for 

 description ; the present species is siq^posed to average slightly larger in size 

 with a proportionately larger bill ; aided by a good imagination perhaps it 

 can be detected in a large series of Redpoll skins. Length 5.00 to 5.25 ; wing 

 2.90 ; culmen 0.34 ; tarsus 0.58. 



Supposed Geographical Distribution. — Northern coasts of Europe and Asia, 

 Norway to Japan, and portions of Alaska; rare(?) in Eastern North America. 



County Records. — Cumberland; a male not in full adult plumage was 

 taken at North Bridgton by J. C. Mead, November 25, 1878, being in a flock 

 of the common species, and after being identified both by Mr. Brewster and 

 Mr. Ridgway the record was printed ; it is now in my collection, Mr. Mead 

 having generously presented it to me, (Knight); one taken at Gorham, Feb- 

 ruary 3, 1903, a female, was associated with a flock of the common Redpoll, 

 (Norton, J. M. 0. S. 1904, p. 5). 



This so-called variety is supposed to have a distinct breeding 

 range and to differ as previously noted from the other Redpolls. 

 Its actual differentiation is a matter of extreme difficulty, even to 

 experts, and the specimen in my collection can scarcely be dis- 

 tinguished from others in my series of Common Redpolls, though 

 referred to Holboell's Redpoll by both Mr. Brewster and Mr. 

 Ridgway. In the opinion of the author this variety is made 

 up of intermediates between the Common Redpoll and the 

 well marked Greater Redpoll. It very likely occurs more com- 

 monly in eastern North America than is indicated by the records 

 at hand, which in addition to the above are one from Quebec 



