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the smaller, and to him best-known, with the Linnsean linaria. Temniinck's faulty course was unfor- 

 tunately followed by nearly all his contemporaries ; and matters were further complicated by a third 

 form of Redpoll being confounded by him with the larger of the two that inhabited Western Europe." 



The range of this species is much more extensive than that of any of the other three Redpolls ; 

 for it inhabits the northern portions of both the Old and New continents, straggling southward 

 during winter in Europe to the shores of the Mediterranean, and in Asia to Japan. It visits 

 Great Britain at irregular intervals during the seasons of passage and in winter, but has not been 

 known to breed with us. It is far more frequently seen on the eastern than on the western 

 side of our island ; and it appears probable that the flocks which visit our island are migrants 

 from Norway or Sweden. To begin from the most northern portions of Great Britain, I find it 

 recorded by Saxby (B. of Shetl. Isl. p. 104) as " a regular winter visitant to Shetland, appearing 

 first in the north of Unst, and gradually, though very slowly, proceeding southwards." He " first 

 met with it on the 25th of September, 1860. The name of Stone-Redpoll has been very appro- 

 priately bestowed upon it, bare stony hillsides being its favourite haunts." Mr. Robert Gray also 

 says (B. of W. of Scotl. p. 148), on the west side of Scotland "it is of irregular and uncertain 

 occurrence only. Some seasons pass without any being seen, while in others they are frequently 

 obtained. The winter of 1863-64 may be noted as one in which this species was comparatively 

 common, numbers having been taken by the birdcatchers even in the neighbourhood of Glasgow. 

 Six specimens were seen in the outskirts of the city in 1861, two of which were caught with 

 bird-lime. The season was a very severe one. Mr. Tottenham Lee found several specimens in 

 Kirkcudbrightshire in 1854; and in 1868 Mealy Redpolls were again taken in that county and 

 in Dumfriesshire, and sent to the Glasgow bird-market. I have seen several specimens that were 

 taken near Forfar; and it has frequently occurred in Midlothian." In Northumberland and 

 Durham it is stated to be a common winter visitant, and occasionally seen in large flocks ; and 

 Professor Newton writes (I. c.) as follows : — " It is not recorded from Lincolnshire. In Norfolk 

 and Suffolk it cannot be called an annual visitor, yet flocks of greater or less size may be met 

 with in several consecutive seasons ; it sometimes arrives so early as the middle of October, and 

 in the years 1847, 1855, 1861, and 1873 it was extremely plentiful. From those counties it 

 seems to pursue its way through Essex to the London district, where the author has been told it 

 was abundant about the year 1815 (in which season the Lesser Redpoll is said to have been 

 scarcely got by the birdcatchers), and again in 1829; but though it continues to show itself at 

 times, there is no evidence of its having since occurred in any great numbers. In some seasons 

 it also appears commonly near Brighton, especially, says Mr. Knox, about 1834, but, according 

 to the same authority, less frequently of late years, though a few are almost always taken by the 

 birdcatchers in winter. Further to the westward its occurrence is open to doubt ; for, though 

 Mr. Cocks has mentioned (Nat. 1851, p. 112) its appearance near Penzance, and the statement 

 is confirmed by Dr. Bullmore, Mr. Rodd expressly says of it ' not Cornish.' It is comparatively 

 seldom noticed in spring ; but the Museum of Saffron- Walden contained a male that was killed 

 in that neighbourhood in May 1836, while one shot at Oundle by the late Mr. Pelerin was 

 sufficiently advanced in its plumage to have acquired a considerable portion of red colour on the 

 breast. The Editor saw a cock, in full breeding-dress, which was obtained at Riddlesworth, in 

 Norfolk, in July 1848 (Zool. p. 2382). Mr. Stevenson also mentions the occurrence of a flock of 



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