Lesser Redpolls. 23 



as nesting in the summer. A nest was taken 

 from the branch of a fir-tree here in 1883, and 

 in this present year, if I am not mistaken, another 

 nest was built. I failed to find it, but I several 

 times saw a pair of sportive Redpolls at the south- 

 east corner of the Parks. 1 



It is one of the prettiest sights that our whole 

 calendar of bird-life affords, to watch these tiny 

 linnets at work in the delicate birch-boughs. They 

 fear no human being, and can be approached 

 within a very few yards. They almost outdo the 

 Titmice in the amazing variety of their postures. 

 They prefer in a general way to be upside down, 

 and decidedly object to the common-place atti- 

 tudes of more solidly built birds. Otherwise they 

 are not remarkable for beauty at this time of 

 year ; their splendid crimson crest the " Blut- 

 tropf," as the Germans aptly call it is hardly 

 discernible, and the warm pink of their breasts 

 has altogether vanished. 



1 At this same south-east corner, in May 1889, I have several 

 times found the trees above me alive with these bold little birds. 

 I have also seen an egg taken from a nest in the Botanic 

 Garden. We may now, I think, reckon these as residents both 

 in summer and winter. 



