FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



285 



Fia. 80.— Redpoll. (Natural 



size.) 



hr'iK'lit red ; luu-k fuHcous t;rnyinh lirowii, the tVuthiTs iMinjiiu'il witli oclirii- 

 ceou.s-hulV; riiiuii tiii),'i'tl witli i>iiik ; wiiiirs iiiul tail fuscous, tliv t'catlicr.-i umro 

 or I0S.S cd^'t'tl Willi whitisli ; miildli; ot" tlu' tlinmt liliickisli, hrcuMtwulluwi'il with 

 jiiiik, iK'Uy wliite, Hides streaked with fu-seous. 

 .((/. 9 .- Siniiliir, hut ^vith(•ut pink on the ruuip 

 or hreiust, tlie sides unuv heavily streaked. Im. 

 — Similar to tlie 9, hut without a re«l erown- 

 cup. L.,.V:$-2; W., 2S0; T.,2a-2; IJ./otJ; depth 

 of B. at hase, "22. 



/I'a//*/*.— Breeds in the nortliern parts of 

 » the northern heiuispliere ; in winter nii^'rates 

 irrej,'ularly southward, in Ameriea, to Illinois 

 and Vir;.'inia. 



Washintfton, very rare and irrej,'ular W. V. 

 SiiiK Sin<r, irreiruiar W. V., Nov. '2.') to Meh. 

 at). Caud)rid','u, irrej^ular W. V'., often very al>undant, Oet. 2.") to Apl. 10. 



Ned, of ilry f,'rass and moss lined with hair, feathers, or jdant down, in a 

 low tree or tuft of ^'ra.ss. /sf/.'/^ f"i"' to si.\, white, tini,'ed witii jfreen or hlue, 

 spotted with redtlish hrown, -t'l."! x •.')() (("hand)erlain). 



The little Redpoll is one of those birds thiit are best known hs win- 

 ter visitors. Sometimes it eonies from tiie north in flocks w hen driven 

 from home by the annual failure of the food supply, and speedily at- 

 tracts attention by freipienting the gardens and orchards, even when 

 these are within the limits of a town. In general habits it resembles 

 a Goldfinch, and while with us it finds its wants supplied chiefly by 

 the various grasses and herbs whicli project through the snow and 

 still retain their seed in spite of wind and weather. It is noted for its 

 affectionate and (confiding disposition, and although it is not known 

 to breed in captivity it has always proved an easily tamed and inter- 

 esting pet. Ernest E. Thompson. 



628aM A. 1. holboellii { Urchin). HoLnn^LL^s Redpoll. — Similar to 



A. linaria, hut larger, the bill longer. W., 3-20 ; T., 2-35; B., -38; depth of 



B. at ba.se, -22. 



Jinnije. — "Northern coasts of Europe and Asia (Norway to Japan), and 

 portions of Alaska"; casual in eastern North America. 



This is an intermediate between A. linaria and A. I. rostra ta. most 

 closely approaching the former, from which it sometimes can with 

 difTicidty be distinguished. It is an exceedingly rare bird in eastern 

 North America, where there are but two records of its occurrence : 

 Quebec (Ridgway) and Massachusetts (Brewster). 



638b. A. 1. rostrata (foues). Ciueater Redpoll.— Similar to ,(. 

 Zt/irtr /a, but larger, the margin to the feathers of the upper parts averaging 

 darker, the bill shorter and stouter. L., 5-50; W., 3-20; T., 2-oo; 1 -35; 

 depth of B. at base, -28. 



^, 



