REDPOLES. 119 



amongst the branches of a birch, placing their little bodies in every con- 

 ceivable position, like Willow- Wrens or Tits. 



The three races of Redpoles differ but slightly in their notes. Besides the 

 twittering note which they have in common with most Finches, and which 

 is constantly heard as they fly in small parties or large flocks, they have a 

 very distinct call-note, which, as far as I know, is only heard when the 

 bird is perched. It is very difficult to express the notes of birds on paper ; 

 but the call-note of the Lesser Redpole sounds in my ears as much like 

 the French word henri as a whistle can produce. The note of the Mealy 

 Redpoles which winter in Germany cannot be very different, Naumann 

 represents it by the word hoing, long drawn out, and says that it is fre- 

 quently heard at the nest, probably quoting Bechstein, who found them 

 breeding in Thuringia. These Redpoles, which sometimes breed in 

 Germany, are probably not Mealy Redpoles at all, but Lesser Redpoles ; 

 for in Siberia the note is certainly different. I had abundant opportunities 

 of listening to it, both in the valley of the Petchora and in that of the 

 Yenesay. During the long weary waiting for summer to come, one of our 

 favourite methods of killing time was to watch the flocks of Snow-Buntings 

 and Redpoles. The note of the latter was by no means the clear, liquid 

 henri of our bird, but a thick and far less musical note, like the sound of 

 zh, so modulated and drawn out as to appear bisyllabic. The note of our 

 bird is nearly allied to the note of the Canary or Siskin, that of the Siberian 

 bird to the note of the Greenfinch, Brambling, or Snow-Bunting. The 

 notes of the R,edpoles in the Engadine in autumn resembled the word 

 'mee-ik, and evidently signified "My dear, where are you ? " " My love, come 

 here." This note is quite distinct from the ordinary chit, chit, chit, which 

 seems to mean " Come on, come on ; there 's a noise." 



Of the note of the Greenland Redpole Brooks writes to me : — " As it flies 

 it utters quite a different note from that of the Mealy Redpole, more of a 

 prolonged Sparrow-like chirp, but shriller. When it alights it utters the 

 Canary -like '^00- wee ^ call-note, as the Mealy Redpole also does." From 

 this we might conclude that it is the Siberian bird which has a distinct 

 note (an argument which might be used for the distinctness of F. exilipes) . 

 I unfortunately neglected to make any memoranda of the notes of this bird 

 in Lapland. 



Our information respecting the song of the Redpoles is also very 

 unsatisfactory. I have listened scores of times to what I call its song 

 in the neighbourhood of Sheffield, where the bird is very common 

 and breeds regularly within three miles of the centre of the town. I 

 describe it as a short monotonous trill, clear, shrill, and not altogether 

 unmusical. It is one of those songs whose charm cannot be analyzed ; but, 

 for some reason or other, it has always been a great favourite of mine, 

 possibly on account of the extreme beauty of the nest of the utterer, an 



