296 OUE NATIVE SONGSTERS. 



Scottish names of Lintie and Lintwliite. Burns, 

 when in despairing mood, says : — 



"In vain to me the cowslips blaw ; 

 In vain to me the violets spring ; 

 In vain to me in glen or shaw 



The mavis and the lintwhite sing." 



The bird is sometimes called the greater redpole, 

 the rose linnet, and the grey or brown linnet. 

 The latter names differ as to the colom' of the 

 bird; and the variations of the plmnage of the 

 linnet at different seasons of the year have occupied 

 much attention among ornithologists, and were, 

 Tuitil fully ascertained, the cause of some confusion 

 of species. Thus the male birds of the first year 

 have none of the red colour on the head which is 

 to be seen on the older birds, but the plumage is 

 dashed with black, and the breast is very slightly 

 tinged with red, because the feathers are reddish 

 grey at the base and reddish white at the edge. 

 Thus the bird, in this condition, is the grey linnet. 

 But our grey linnet sings and thrives, and by the 

 time he is three years old his dress is altogether 

 changed, and he, at least during spring, merits the 

 name of greater redpole, for the forehead is of rich 

 crimson hue, though the remainder of the head 



