REDPOLL. 357 



before. They have a quailing call perfectly similar to that 

 of the Yellow Bird {^Fringilla trisHs), twee twee, or tshe-vee ; 

 and when crowding together in flight make a confused chirp- 

 ing 'twit 'itwit 'twit 'twit 'twit, with a rattling noise, and some- 

 times go off with a simultaneous twitter. Occasionally they 

 descend from their favorite birches and pick up sunflower 

 seeds and those of the various weedy Chenopodiums growing 

 in wastes. At length they seemed attracted to the pines by 

 the example of the Crossbills, and were busily employed in 

 collecting their seeds. As the weather becomes colder they 

 also roost in these sheltering evergreens; and confused flocks 

 are seen whirling about capriciously in quest of fare, sometimes 

 descending on the fruit-trees to feed on their buds by way of 

 variety. Though thus urged from their favorite regions in the 

 north, there appeared no obvious reason for their movements, 

 as we found them fat and not driven to migrate from any 

 imminent necessity. 



In Nuttall's day but two forms of Redpoll were recognized by 

 naturalists, — linaria and canescens {=exilipes); but now there 

 are five, — or six, if we count the hypothetical brewsterii. Similar 

 as these appear to the casual observer, an expert can readily divide 

 them when examples of the different races are compared, though it 

 is sometimes difficult to refer a specimen with accuracy unless so 

 compared. 



The habitat of true linaria is now given as " northern portions 

 of northern hemisphere, in North America; south in winter to 

 Kansas and Virginia." 



Note. — Holbcell's Redpoll {Acanthis linaria holbcellii) is 

 larger than the type, with a proportionately longer bill. It is 

 usually restricted to the northern coasts of Europe and Asia, but 

 examples have been taken in Alaska, Quebec, Massachusetts, and 

 New York. 



The Greater Redpoll {Acanthis linaria rostra/a) is still 

 larger, — length 5X to 5X inches, —and the colors are darker, 

 with the under parts more broadly striped. It is found in southern 

 Greenland in summer, and in winter migrates to New England, 

 Manitoba, and northern Illinois. 



