REDPOLES. 121 



the earliest birds to breed in this locality. In Alaska Ball found fresh eggs 

 in the first week of June. In Greenland the bird appears to be an early 

 breeder, as I have a nest and eggs taken on the 10th of June ; and Kriiper 

 found nearly fledged young birds of the Arctic Redpole on an island near 

 Iceland on the 12th of June. He also found other nests with eggs on the 

 same day. There is no difference whatever in the nests from various 

 localities ; they are all composed of a few slender twigs in the foundations, 

 and built up of dry grass-stalks and a little moss, profusely lined with the 

 down from the cotton-grass, or from willow-catkins, or, if these materials 

 are not obtainable, with white Ptarmigan feathers, hair, or wool. The 

 lining is generally more or less interwoven into the sides of the nest, which 

 can scarcely be matched for delicacy and beauty. In size there is not 

 much local variation. The inside cup varies in England and Siberia from 

 1J to 2 inches in diameter by 1 to 1 inch deep. My Greenland nest 

 does not exceed my largest English nest in size. In England the size of 

 the eggs varies from '65 to '6 inch by *5 to '42, in Siberia from '75 to '65 

 inch by -55 to -5, and in Greenland from '8 to '7 inch by '56 to -52. The 

 ground-colour varies from bluish green to greenish blue, and does not 

 differ locally. The overlying specks, spots, and blotches, principally at 

 the large end of the egg, are dark reddish brown, and those which are under- 

 lying pale reddish brown. Some eggs are much more marked than 

 others, and some in my collection from the valley of the Petchora are 

 very boldly streaked. 



The seeds of the birch are the favourite food of the Redpole ; but it will 

 eat almost any other kind of seed, and in summer it feeds on insects. 

 It is a favourite cage-bird, becoming very tame, and will learn tricks like 

 a ( loldfinch, and is very fond of climbing all over its cage. 



The adult male Lesser Redpole in breeding-plumage has the general colour 

 of the upper parts ruf escent brown, with a dark centre to each feather ; 

 the wings and tail are brown, with obscure pale margins ; the 

 median and greater wing-coverts with broad tips, and the innermost 

 secondaries with broad margins of pale rufous-brown. It has a crimson 

 patch on the crown and a distinct trace of crimson on the rump ; the 

 underparts are huffish white, suffused with crimson on the breast and 

 shading into rufescent brown on the flanks, the feathers of which have 

 dark centres ; the chin and upper throat are dark brown. Bill yellow, 

 brown at the point; legs, feet, and claws nearly black; irides hazel. 

 Females have no red on the breast or rump, and are more streaked on the 

 breast and flanks, but otherwise resemble males. After the autumn moult 

 the margins to the feathers hide the obscure traces of crimson on the 

 breast, head, and rump, causing the male scarcely to differ from the 

 female ; but as the season advances these margins drop off, and the crimson 

 gradually intensifies, not by a moult, but by a change in the colour of the 



