Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 573 



the breast and sides of body more or less washed with pale tawny, 

 and faintly marked with dusky; belly, grayish white; wing markings, 

 as in the male. 



Immature males assume various plumages from dusky gray with 

 whitish streaks to the bright red of the adult, including the mixed 

 red and grayish olive stages. 



Length, 6; wing, 3.50; tail. 2.40; bill, .60. 



This species is an irregular winter visitant in Illinois and Wiscon- 

 sin, varying in numbers from year to year. It was common in north- 

 eastern Illinois during the late fall of 1906. 



Mr. Frank M. Woodruff states that : " In the year 1904, from the 

 ninth to the twentieth of November, enormous flocks of these Cross- 

 bills passed along the lake shore and many were shot with slingshots 

 by boys." (Birds Chicago Area, 1907, p. 130.) It occurs as a winter 

 visitant in Wisconsin but as far as known there is no record of its 

 breeding in the state, although W. A. Oldfield records it nesting 

 September 28, 1888, at Keweenaw Point, Michigan (Orn. and Ool., 

 1889, p. 43). 



Genus ACANTHIS Bechstein. 



240. Acanthis hornemannii exilipes (Coues). 



Hoary Redpoll. 



Distr.: Arctic America and northeastern Asia, occasionally south 

 in winter to the northern border of the United States; breeds in the 

 far north (Ungava, northern Alaska, etc.). 



Male in winter plumage : General plumage, pale, whitish or light 

 gray prevailing; rump, plain white, without streaks, often tinged with 

 rose-pink; under tail coverts, white, occasionally showing a few indis- 

 tinct streaks; breast, more or less strongly tinged with rose-pink; 

 sides showing a few narrow brownish dusky streaks or at times without 

 streaks; rest of under parts, white; crown, with more or less metallic 

 red; a black spot, on the chin; bill, yellowish with the tip dark. 



Female in winter plumage. Similar but smaller and lacks the 

 rose-pink on the breast. 



The unstreaked rump will distinguish this from the next species. 



Male: Wing, 2.95 to 3.10; tail, 2.48 to 2.55; culmen, .30; depth 

 of bill, .20 to .25. 



Female: Wing, 2.85 to 3.05; tail, 2.35 to 2.55; culmen, .30; depth 

 of bill, .20 to .24. 



The Hoary Redpoll is a rare winter visitant to Illinois. Prof. 

 Ridgway writes: " I have seen specimens in the collection of Mr. E. 



