THE LINNET. 47 



point brown ; the iris dark-brown ; the feet, eight lines high, 

 are black. There are some very striking varieties produced 

 by the season and age in the plumage of the male, which are 

 not observed in the female, and these have caused great con- 

 fusion in works on birds. 



A male three years old or less, is distinguished in spring by 

 the following colors, and by the name of " red pole : " — The 

 forehead is blood-red, the rest of the head reddish ash-colored, 

 the top rather spotted with black ; the cheek, sides of the neck, 

 and the circle round the eyes, have a reddish-white tint ; the 

 feathers of the back are chestnut, with the edges lighter ; the 

 upper tail coverts are black, edged with reddish- white ; the 

 throat and under part of the neck are yellowish-white, with 

 some dashes of reddish-grey; the sides of the breast are 



THE LINNET. 



blood-red, edged with reddish- white ; the sides of the belly are 

 pale rust-colored ; the rest of the under part of the body is 

 reddish- white ; the greater wing coverts are black, bordered 

 with reddish- white ; the others are rusty-brown with a lighter 

 border. The quill feathers are black, tipped with white ; the 

 first are edged with white nearly to the point ; the narrow 

 beard forms a parallel white streak to the quill feathers ; the 

 tail is black and forked ; the four outer feathers on both sides 

 have a broad white border ; that of the two middle feathers is 

 narrower, and reddish-white. 



After moulting, in autumn, little red is seen on the forehead, 

 because the feathers become colored from the bottom to the top ; 

 the breast has not yet acquired its red tint, for the white border 

 A is still too wide ; but when winter comes, its colors appear. 



