LESSER RED-POLL. 259 



The call of this bird exactly resembles that of the Fringilla 

 tristis, or common Yellow-bird of Pennsylvania. 



The Red-polls linger in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia 

 until about the middle of April; but whither they retire for the 

 business of incubation, we cannot determine. 



In common with almost all our Finches, the Red-polls be- 

 come very fat, and are then accounted delicious eating. During 

 the winter above-mentioned, many thousands of them were ex- 

 posed to sale in the Philadelphia market, and were readily 

 purchased by those epicures, whose love of variety permits no 

 delicacy to escape them. 



In America this species must breed far to the north, perhaps 

 beyond the residence of man, as they are so tame and unsus- 

 picious that one can openly approach to within five or six feet 

 of them, while they are occupied in feeding. As a proof of their 

 rarity in Pennsylvania, I have not observed them since the 

 early part of the year 1814; they were then so common that 

 they swarmed in the gardens of Philadelphia. G. Ord. 



