534 LESSER REDPOLL. 
stems and leaves, picking at the embryo buds while perched over them, 
like Jays and Titmice. 
So hardy is this species, that, according to Dr RrcHarpson, it is a 
‘permanent resident in the Fur Countries, where it may be seen in 
the coldest weather, on the banks of lakes and rivers, hopping among 
the reeds and carices, or clinging to their stalks. Although numerous 
throughout the year, even in the most northern districts, a partial mi- 
gration takes place, as large flocks visit Pennsylvania for a month or 
two in severe winters.” The migrations alluded to are of rare oecur- 
rence in that State, however, as well as in that of New York. I never 
saw one of these birds to the westward of the Alleghanies, and none 
were observed by Dr Townsenv or Mr Nutra. on the Columbia 
River. They are abundant every cold winter in the northern, parts 
of Massachusetts and Maine, as well as in all the British Provinces. 
The food of this species consists of buds, seeds of various grasses, 
berries, and the small leaves of bushes and trees. I have represented 
a male and a female on a plant which grows abundantly in the locali- 
ties in which I found it in Labrador. 
The many young birds which I examined in the month of August, 
had the head entirely grey. The feathers of that part, and those on the 
breast and rump, were of the same colour nearly to the base, which is blu- 
ish-grey ; and I suspect that they do not acquire any redness until the 
approach of spring. The old birds were moulting at the period men- 
tioned, and from their appearance I concluded that all their red feathers 
are reassumed each spring. The eggs, from four to six in number, 
measure five-eighths in length, rather more than half an inch in dia- 
meter, and are pale bluish-green sparingly dotted with reddish-brown 
toward the larger end. 
Frineiuta winaria, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 322.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. 
p- 458.—Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis, p. 112. 
Lesser Repport, Frineriia tinaria, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. iv. p. 42, pl. 30, 
fig. 4. Male. 
Linaria anor, Lesser REDPott, Fauna Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 267. 
Lesser REpPou., Nuttall, Manual, vol. i. 512. 
Adult Male in Summer. Plate CCCLXXV. Fig. 1. 
Bill short, strong, conical, compressed toward the end, extremely 
ke ee 
