BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 317 



the colour of all varieties of Guillemots' eggs, 

 except those with intense green or blue ground- 

 colours, when blown. Average size about 2.9 by 

 1-87 in. (See Plate XIV.) 



Time. May and June. 



Remarks. Resident, but wandering, except 

 during the breeding season. Notes : a kind of 

 grunting noise when disturbed. Local and other 

 names : Black-billed Auk, Marrot, Murre, Razor- 

 bill Auk, Sea Crow, Bawkie, Alk or Oke, Falk ; in 

 Zetland, Hiogga. Gregarious, and a close sitter. 



REDBREAST. See ROBIN. 



REDPOLL, LESSER. 



(Linota rufcsccns?) 

 Order PASSERES ; Family FRINGILLID.E (FINCHES). 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about four 

 and a quarter inches. Bill short, nearly conical, 

 thick at the base, and brownish horn colour. Irides 

 dusky-brown. Crown, to beyond the line of the 

 eyes, crimson red ; sides of head brown. Hinder 

 part of crown, nape, back, rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts dark brown, the feathers being bordered 

 with light reddish-brown, slightly mixed with grey ; 

 tail-coverts tinged with crimson. Wings dusky, 

 the feathers being edged with pale brown ; the 

 middle and greater coverts are tipped with light 

 reddish-brown, making two rather showy bars 

 across. Tail slightly forked and dusky, edged out- 

 wardly with pale brown. Chin black, throat and 

 breast rose-pink to vermilion ; the middle of the 



