558 FRINGILLID A. 
twenty-three years ago, the Mealy Redpoles were very 
abundant for a time; but not a single Lesser Redpole 
scarcely was then to be got; and Mr. Gould mentions that 
in the year 1829, the Mealy Redpoles were again particu- 
larly abundant, and were caught in great numbers. 
The best specimens I possess of this bird were given me 
by my friend Mr. Henry Doubleday of Epping, who sup- 
plied me also with the following observations. ‘“‘ During a 
visit to Colchester in January 1836, I observed some Red- 
poles feeding on the alder, in company with the Siskin. 
On shooting some, they proved to be the Mealy Redpole, 
and I am convinced were all of this species, as I could 
plainly see their pale or nearly white rumps. A friend 
from Colchester brought me a pair alive; these I kept 
some time, and there was certainly a difference in their 
note, being sharper; but as they had been kept some weeks 
with a number of Canaries, I thought it possible that the 
Mealy Redpoles had caught part of the Canary’s note. 
When I was at Colchester, I could form no opinion of the 
Mealy Redpole’s note in a wild state, from the continual 
chatter of the Siskins. In Charles Lucian Bonaparte’s 
Catalogue of the Birds of Europe and North America, 
three Redpoles are given, viz., our common one, Linota 
linaria, Linota canescens, Mr. Gould’s plate of the Mealy 
Redpole being referred to for this species, and Linota 
Borealis, which is stated to inhabit Europe generally ; now 
I always thought that the Borealis of M. Temminck was 
our Mealy Redpole. When skinning this bird, the head 
has always appeared to me broader than that of the common 
species; but I am sorry that I have not a skull to make 
the comparison, as I have had so few specimens of the 
Mealy bird.” This desideratum, in further proof of 
the distinction between this bird and our common Redpole, 
