196 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



87. LESSER REDPOLL 



Linota rufescens. 



So far as my own observation goes, this little Finch 

 is not very abundant at any time of year in our 

 immediate neighbourhood, and with one exception 

 I have only met with it therein during the winter 

 months. The exception occurred in September 1880, 

 when, whilst shooting near Tichmarsh, we fell in with 

 about a dozen of this species haunting some willows 

 along a brook-side, with every appearance of belonging 

 to and having established themselves in the locality. 

 Mr. A. G. Elliot, of Stamford, informs me that the 

 Redpoll breeds not uncommonly in the vicinity of 

 that town, and it is by no means improbable that it 

 may now do so with us, but, as I have before stated, 

 I am hardly ever at home in the nesting-season, and 

 it would be a difficult and thankless task to teach 

 our bird-nesting youths to discriminate between this 

 and other allied species. About Lilford these birds 

 appear occasionally in flocks of from twenty to fifty 

 or sixty, almost always in very severe weather, and 

 then haunt the alders by the river-side, their habits 

 and manner of feeding at that season much resembling 

 those of the Siskin as above described. They are 

 exceedingly tame, and may be very closely watched 

 as they cluster like bees on some hanging sprays, 

 searching for buds, and keeping up an incessant 

 twittering music, pleasant enough, but not by any 

 means so melodious as that of the Siskin. It appears 

 that the Lesser Redpoll breeds in many parts of 

 England, occasionally in great abundance, but is more 

 abundant at the nesting-period in the northern and 



