124 FRINGILLIDiE. 



is to be perceived between the two species, namely, the L. 

 borealis and the L. minor: the principal difference consists 

 in the size, and in the tints of the plumage. In size the 

 northern or Mealy Redpole exceeds our lesser and more com- 

 mon species considerably, some of them being as large in ap- 

 pearance as the common linnet. In the form of its beak the 

 borealis resembles the lesser species, the greater size observa- 

 ble being only in proportion to its other dimensions. 



In habits and manners the two species are said to bear 

 great resemblance to each other, feeding probably on the 

 same kinds of food ; and associating, at least in its acci- 

 dental visits to this country, with the lesser Redpole and the 

 siskin. 



The appearance of the Mealy or northern Redpole is very 

 irregular in England, as to time and place. They have been 

 met with during some winters in tolerable abundance ; and 

 intervals of some years elapse before they are again plentiful. 

 In the winter of 1829, they are said to have been very numer- 

 ous, which was a season of remarkable severity : in the spring 

 of 1836, they were again seen. Their appearance so far to 

 the south seems, therefore, due to the low temperature of the 

 atmosphere, and the consequent difficulty of procuring food 

 in their native regions. 



The Mealy Redpole has never been known to breed in 

 this island, although individuals have occasionally been seen 

 late in the spring. 



We are, fortunately, able to give our subscribers a repre- 

 sentation of this rare egg, from a specimen in our own posses- 

 sion. This has sufficient resemblance to the eggs of the 

 linnet tribe in general to identify it as belonging to the 

 genus, and yet differs in its details from all of them. It 

 measures eight and a half lines in length, and six and a half 

 in breadth, and is rather blunt at the smaller end. In the 

 ground colour it is pale greenish-blue, and is sprinkled over 



