LESSER REDPOLE. 563 
the south of England in summer. It is at once distin- 
guished from the Mealy Redpole, last described, by its 
smaller size; and though not attractive from its notes, 
which are little more than a lively twitter, its sprightly 
habits and engaging confidence render it a general fa- 
yourite, since it is, of all the small birds, one of those that 
are the most easily tamed. This species will breed in 
confinement ; and W. Rayner, Esq. of Uxbridge, lately 
sent me word that a Lesser Redpole in his aviary made 
her nest, and laid five eggs during the last summer, 1838. 
In some of the northern counties of England, and in 
Scotland particularly, this little bird is resident all the 
year; and of its habits, Mr. Selby says, that “during the 
summer it retires to the underwood that covers the bases 
of our mountains and hills, and that often fringes the banks 
of our precipitous streams, in which sequestered situation 
it breeds. The nest is built m a bush or low tree, (such 
as the willow, alder, or hazel,) of moss, and the stalks of 
dry grass, intermixed with down from the catkin of the 
willow, which also forms the lining, and renders it a par- 
ticularly soft and warm receptacle for the eggs and young. 
From this substance being a constant material of the nest, 
it follows that the young are produced late in the season, 
and are seldom able to fly before the end of June, or the 
beginning of July. The eggs are four or five in number ; 
their colour pale bluish green, spotted with orange brown, 
principally towards the larger end.” I have received the 
nest from Durham; and Mr. J. D. Salmon, formerly of 
Thetford, very kindly sent me two nests of the Lesser 
Redpole, which were taken in 1835 and 1836 in the vi- 
cinity of Halifax in Yorkshire. ‘The eggs are seven lines 
and a half in length, by five lines and a half in breadth. 
Pennant says, ‘“ We found the nest of this species on an 
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