THE LINNET AND REDPOLL. 193 



comes a gregarious species ; family joins family, until 

 a considerable flock is formed, whose members keep 

 united until the vernal season bids them again separate 

 for the continuation of their species. The Redpoll is 

 another of my little special favourites ; his trustfulness 

 makes him so. See how they alight within a few yards 

 of you, to pick out the seeds of various plants, and with 

 what little shyness or show of fear they allow you to 

 observe them when perched on the surrounding hedge- 

 rows, or when exploring the trees in every conceivable 

 attitude. Even if suddenly disturbed, they merely fly 

 into the air, uttering their pleasing twittering notes, and, 

 after wheeling about, they again settle close to you as 

 before. We find that the young birds do not wear the 

 unassuming though lovely garb of their parents, nor have 

 they the patch of deep ruby-coloured plumage that 

 adorns the crown of their sire : but upon the return of 

 the following summer the little creatures receive their 

 garb of maturity. 



The food of the Redpoll for the greater part of the 

 year may be said to be composed of seeds of various 

 kinds, the greater part of them belonging to the most 

 noxious weeds, such as thistles, wild mustard, docks, and 

 a hundred others. Upon grounds covered with these 

 weeds, we see the Redpoll in greatest abundance. A 

 favourite situation for them in November is the alder 

 swamps, when the trees are covered with ripe seed-cones. 

 In a little flock keeping close together they explore the 

 branches and eject the seeds, the husks dropping in all 

 directions. In every possible attitude, like the Tits, they 

 gain their purpose ; if alarmed, merely flitting buoyantly 

 away, wheeling round in the air for a short time, to again 

 alight on probably the same tree, where they at once set 

 to work as before. In midwinter they visit the dry and 



O 



