Mr. H. Seebohm on the Ornithology of Siberia. 335 



CORYTHUS ENUCLEATOR (Linn.). 



We found the Pine-Grosbeak common in the forests on 

 the Arctic circle in small parties on our arrival. When sum- 

 mer came they dispersed in the woods, and were very rarely 

 seen. I did not observe them further north. 



FRINGILLA MONTIFRINGILLA, Linn. 



The Brambling arrived at our winter-quarters on the 1st 

 of June. I did not observe it further north than 69. 



LINOTA LINARIA (Linn.) . 



LlNOTA EXILIPES (CoUCs) . 



At Yen-e-saisk' we found large flocks of Redpoles in the 

 first week in April ; but they did not put in an appearance at 

 the Koo-ray'-i-ka until the 28th of May. I obtained both 

 these supposed species, and every possible intermediate form. 



The young in first plumage (No. 943, shot in the valley of 

 the Yen-e-say', in lat. 69, on the 29th July) differs from 

 the adult birds in having the edgings of the feathers of the 

 plumage generally, but especially of the wing-coverts and 

 innermost secondaries, greyish buff, instead of pure white. 

 The feathers on the breast, flanks, and under tail-coverts 

 have a dark streak in the centre. 



My series of these birds comprises forty carefully selected 

 skins, from Norway, the Petchora, and the Yen-e-say'. 

 Twenty -two of these are males, and eighteen are females. 

 Two skins, one of a male and the other of a female, both shot 

 in April, show considerable remains of the buff colour on the 

 head, back, wing-coverts, and inner secondaries, characteristic 

 of the bird of the year. Other skins show traces of this buff 

 colour on the head and back only. 



These birds fly in such large flocks that one often gets a 

 dozen or more at a shot. In selecting birds to skin I inva- 

 riably chose all the birds showing red on the breast, rejecting 

 a large proportion of those without red breasts ; nevertheless 

 only half the males in my collection show any red on the 

 breast. So far as it goes, this fact supports the theory of 

 Mr. Hancock, that the red breast is a sign of immaturity. 

 My red-breasted birds vary considerably inter se. Four of 



