60 



Russian Baltic Provinces, and von Homeyer on Hiddensoe, near Riigen in 

 the Baltic; while according to Hartert it breeds in northernmost E. Prussia, 

 near the Baltic. 

 Nest. Like the Twite, the Mealy Redpoll is a sociable bird; and it is not 



uncommoji to find several nests within a short distance of one another in 

 open glades of birch forest and on the outskirts of thickets of willow. As 

 a rule they are placed in the fork of a bough from one to ten feet high, 

 but nests have been met with on the ground in tufts of grass, and Newton 

 (11, p. 138) mentions one on the hollow top of a birch stump. They are 

 generally very neatly built of bents and roots, with sometimes a few lichens 

 and shreds of bark, on a foundation of a few heather twigs; while the 

 lining consists of willow down or floAver-seeds, feathers (usually of gulls, 

 willow grouse or snowy owl), and reindeer hair. Diameter about 3 — 3 1 in., 

 height 2 — 2 |- in.; diameter of cup 1 J — 2, depth 1 — If- in. 

 Eggs. Generally 5 — 6 in number, occasionally 4 only. For purposes of accurate 



comparison most of the eggs in collections are of little use, owing to the 

 uncertainty as to the distribution of the various forms of Redpoll and 

 absence of authentication. As a mle Redpolls' eggs are distinguishable 

 from those of other allied Fringillidae by the deeper blue of their ground 

 colour, duller surface of shell, more profuse and lighter markings and a 

 decided tendency to spots rather than streaks. The ground colour is however 

 very fugitive and individual eggs vary a good deal. 

 Breeding Somcwhat irregular, nests with fresh eggs and young being often 



Season, found in close proximity. In mid-Norway full clutches may be taken from 

 the last week in May till about the middle of July, but usually in June. 

 On Karlo from the first week in June onwards (Sandman). 

 Measure- 100 eggs from Scandinavia and north Russia measured by the writer 



inents. average 16.98 X 12.65 mm.. Max. 20 X 12.2 and 17.6 X 13.6 mm., Min. 

 14.4X12.2 and 15.5X11.5 mm. Some of these may belong to the next 

 species, but 22 which certainly belong to the typical race average 

 16.85 X 12.8 mm. Newton has a dwarf egg measuring about 11x9 mm. 

 Rey gives the average weight of Redpolls' eggs as 71 mg. 



Geographical Races. 



a. Mealy Redpoll, C. flamniea flammea (L.). See above, 

 lb. Holboirs Redpoll, C. flammea holboelli (Brehm). 



Acanthis flammea holboelli (Brehm). Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 79. 



(Whether Holboll's Redpoll can be regarded as a strict geographical 

 race can hardly be stated with certainty as yet. Wolley observed considerable 

 wearing down of the mandibles of resident birds in Lapland during the 

 winter months, so that it is unsafe to attach too much importance to this 



