LESSER REDPOLL. 35 



[Mr Ord lias added to the description of Wilson as follows : 

 5 — " Contrary to the usual practice of Mr Wilson, he omitted 



southern parts of Britain as a winter visitant, and is at that period 

 gregarious, and frequently taken in company with the other species by 

 the bird-catchers, by whom it is called the stone redpoll. In the 

 northern counties of England, and in Scotland, and its isles, it is 

 resident through the year. It retires, during the summer, to the under- 

 wood that covers the basis of many of our mountains and hills, and that 

 often fringes the banks of their precipitous streams, in which sequestered 

 situations it breeds. The nest is built in a bush or low tree (such as 

 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 particularly 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. In winter, the lesser 

 redpoll descends to the lower grounds, in considerable flocks, frequenting 

 woods and plantations, more especially such as abound in birch or alder 

 trees, the catkins of which yield it a plentiful supply of food. When 

 feeding, its motion affords both interest and amusement ; since, in order 

 to reach the catkins, which generally grow near the extremities of the 

 smaller branches, it is obliged, like the titmouse, to hang with its back 

 downwards, and assume a variety of constrained attitudes, and, when 

 thus engaged, it is so intent upon its work, as frequently to allow itself to 

 be taken by a long stick smeared with bird-lime, in which way I have 

 occasionally captured it when in want of specimens for examination. 

 It also eats the buds of trees, and (when in flocks) proves in this way 

 seriously injurious to young plantations. Its call note is very frequently 

 repeated when on wing, and by this it may be always distinguished 

 from the other species. The notes it produces during the pairing 

 season, although few, and not delivered in continuous song, are sweet 

 and pleasing." 



"This bird is widely diffused through all the northern parts of 

 Europe ; inhabits Northern Asia as far as Siberia and Kamtschatka • 

 and is also abundant in North America." 



The authors of the " Northern Zoology " describe another bird allied 

 to the linnets, of which one individual only was obtained in the last 

 northern expedition. It is said to be new, and is described as Linaria 

 (Leocosticte) Teprocotis, Sw. grey-crowned linnet. It is an aberrant form 

 of Linaria, which Mr Swainson proposes to designate under the above 

 sub-generic title.— Ed. 



