THE COMMON LINNET. 



Fnngilla cannabina, LINN^US ; La Lmottc, BUFFON ; Der Lanning, BECHSTEIN 



THE length of this well-known bird is more than five inches, 

 of which the tail measures two inches and a half. The beak, 

 six lines long, is dusky blue in summer, and in winter greyish 

 white, with the 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 confusion in works on birds, so much, that bird- 

 catchers are still persuaded these birds, in a different dress, are 

 distinct species 



Instructed by long experience and the observations of many 

 years, I hope to show in my description that our common 

 linnet (Fringilla Linota, Linnaeus), the greater redpole (Frin- 

 gilla cannabina, Linnaeus), and, according to all appearance, the 

 mountain linnet (Fringilla montana, Linnaeus), are one and the 

 same species. A male three years old or less, is distinguished 

 in spring by the following colours, and by the name of redpole. 

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



