16 THE LESSER REDPOLL. 



and 8.50 in extent, the general color of the upper parts is 

 a rich dark brown, every feather being delicately fringed 

 with grayish white; around the base of the bill and extend- 

 ing down the throat is a band of dusky black; the top of the 

 head is bright glossy crimson; on the lower part of the 

 back, where the feathers are so deeply fringed with white 

 that the brown almost disappears, there is a slight touch of 

 carmine; and in the mature male the breast and under parts, 

 which are ordinarily white streaked with brown on the sides, 

 are finely tinged with rose-color. How these delicate tints 

 of rose and carmine set off the winter landscape, appearing 

 as gay as peach-blossoms in the leafless brown of early 

 spring. Redpoll is a member of the same family with the 

 sparrows (the FringiUidcd). From its noticeable resemblance 

 to them and its delicately-tinted breast, it is sometimes 

 called the Rose-breasted Sparrow, but is commonly known 

 as the Lesser Redpoll. Dr. Coues gives the habitat of the 

 Redpoll (/Egiothus linaria), "From Atlantic to Pacific, 

 ranging irregularly southward in flocks in winter, to the 

 Middle States (sometimes a little beyond) and corresponding 

 latitudes in the west." As to its breeding, he cites Audu- 

 bon, who says that it breeds "in Maine, Nova Scotia, New- 

 foundland, Labrador and the fur countries." The latter 

 also describes the eggs as from four to six in number, 

 measuring five-eighths of an inch in length, rather more than 

 half an inch in diameter, and pale bluish-green in color, 

 sparingly dotted with reddish-brown toward the larger end. 

 Mr. C. O. Tracy, of Taftsville, Vt., says in the Ornithol- 

 ogist and Oologist, June, 1883: "The last of March, 1878, I 

 found the nest and eggs of this species. The nest, now 

 before me, is composed of fine, dry twigs, dried grasses, 

 fine strips of fibrous bark, bits of twine, hair, fibrous roots, 

 moss, dried leaves, pieces of cocoons, feathers, thistle-down, 



