LESSER RED-POLL. 257 



This species extends throughout the whole northern parts of 

 Europe, is likewise found in the remote wilds of Russia; was 

 seen by Steller in Kamtschatka; and probably inhabits corres- 

 ponding climates round the whole habitable parts of the north- 

 ern hemisphere. In the highlands of Scotland they are common, 

 building often on the tops of the heath, sometimes in a low furze 

 bush, like the common Linnet; and sometimes on the ground. 

 The nest is formed of light stalks of dried grass, intermixed 

 with tufts of wool, and warmly lined with feathers. The egg* 

 are usually four, white, sprinkled with specks of reddish. 



NOTE. 



Fringilla Linaria, GMEL. Syst. i, p. 9 17, 29. F.flavirostris,Id.p. 

 915, 27. LATH. Ind. Orn. p. 438, No. 16, p. 458, JVo. 83. Le 

 Cabaret, BUFF. Ois. iv, p. 76. PI. Enl. 485. BEWICK, i, p. 191. 

 Fauna Orcadensis, p. 64, 3. Gros-bsc Sizerin, TEMM. Man. 

 d'0rn,p. 373. 



CONTRARY to the usual practice of Wilson, he omitted to 

 furnish a. particular description of this species, accompanying 

 its figure. But this supplementary notice would not have been 

 ^considered necessary, if our author had not fallen into a mis- 

 take respecting the markings of the female, and the young male; 

 the former of which he describes as destitute of the crimson 

 on the forehead; and the latter not receiving that ornament 

 till the succeeding spring. When Wilson procured his speci- 

 mens, it was in the autumn, previously to their receiving their 

 perfect winter dress; and he was never afterwards aware of 

 his error, owing to the circumstance of these birds seldom ap- 

 pearing in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. Considerable 

 flocks of them, however, having visited us in the winter of 

 1813-14, we were enabled to procure several fine specimens of 

 both sexes, from the most perfect of which we took the follow- 

 ing description. We will add, that having had the good fortune 

 to observe a flock, consisting of nearly a hundred, within a few 



VOL. II. K k 



