4436 THE Zoo.toctst— May, 1875. 
The redpolls undergo the same changes of plumage as the linnet, 
and the males annually assume the red breast in the spring after the 
second moult. I once saw an apparently very old bird, with the 
whole under parts and the rump of the most brilliant carmine, and 
I shot an equally fine specimen of the mealy redpoll, but the breast 
and rump were fine rose-colour, instead of carmine. 
Mr. Hancock thinks the three redpolls are only “races” of one 
species. I do not clearly understand what modern naturalists 
mean by “races,” unless it is local varieties. The three redpolls 
which have been found in Britain possess constant characters by 
which they can be readily distinguished: they never intermix in 
the breeding season, and in my opinion are good species. The 
distinctive characters of the four species known are clearly pointed 
out by the late Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte :— 
1. “ Acanthis rufescens, Vieill. [Our lesser redpoll.] 
Inhabits Europe, especially the western parts. A regular migrant. 
Small (4} inches long). Rump more or less reddish ; tail short (scarcely 
two inches long). The male in the breeding season has the rump [and 
breast] carmine. The female, young and male in the autumn have the 
rump reddish, streaked with fuscous. 
2. “ Acanthis linaria, Linn. = borealis, Vieill., not of Temm. [Our 
mealy redpoll. } 
Inhabits North America and Europe. An irregular migrant. 
Middle-sized (43 inches long). Bill small, covered beyond the middle, 
with short feathers; throat-spot small; space between the bill and the eye 
fuscous; rump white; tail rather short (2} inches long). Male with the 
rump [and breast] in the spring rose-coloured; female and young with the 
rump streaked with brown. 
8. “ Acanthis Holbolli, Brehm. Inhabits the North and West of Europe. 
Large (5} inches long). Bill bright yellow, very large, very robust and 
elongated (three-fourths of an inch long), only covered at the base with 
short feathers; the large spot on the throat and the space between the bill 
and the eye black; forehead red; breast and rump rose-coloured. 
4. “ Acanthis canescens, Gould = borealis, Temm. 1835, not of Vieill. 
Inhabits Greenland. 
Large (54 inches long). Claws long; rump white, never striated; tail 
long (three inches and one-sixth). The male in the breeding season has 
the rump tinged with rose-colour. The females, young and males in the 
autumn have the rump white.” 
Our Wagtails.—Mr. Hancock says of our pied wagtail (Mota- 
cilla Yarrellii, Gould), “ This is a very doubtful species, as varieties 
