

ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF LAPLAND. 311 



female at all seasons ; but that it is only inter- 

 mediate, and assumed by the male before he 

 comes to his red dress, I proved by three specimens 

 shot on or about August 4, all in deep moult. 

 They were all young ash-green males, and the 

 red feathers were shooting out all over them 



Eder their ash-grey body plumage ; in fact, many 

 1 already appeared on the head and back. But 

 3n now I do not think that they assume this 

 fine deep-red livery at once, for I have shot male 

 birds with a deep purple tinge on the red, very 

 different from the fine carmine-red which we all 

 have supposed to be the full mature dress of the 

 pine grosbeak. Only one more state of plumage 

 was wanting, and my series would have been com- 

 plete but this, I am sorry to say, I was unable to 

 obtain and this was an old, bright-green, yellow 

 male, the last dress of all. I never met with this 

 in the forest, although I have seen it in a cage ; 

 but I shall never feel satisfied until I have shot 

 such a bird in a state of nature, for I do so much 

 wish to upset the dogma of our savans, who con- 

 tend that this last bright yellow-green dress, both 

 in the crossbills and grosbeak, is not normal) but 

 only the effect of confinement. I have killed the 

 old male parrot crossbill from his nest in this 

 dress, and why not the pine grosbeak? Now I 

 will ask what are we to consider as the true adult 



