LESSER REDPOLL. 



FRINGILLA RUFESCENS (Vieill.). 



Linaria rufescens, Vieill. Mem. R. Ac. Sc. Tor. xxiii. p. 202 

 (1816). 



Linaria minor, Macg. i. p. 383. 

 Fringilla linaria, Hewitson, i. p. 201. 



Linota rufescens, Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. 146 ; Dresser, iv. p. 47. 



Sizerin cabaret, French ; Kleiner Flachs-fink, German ; 

 Volicelo, Spanish. 



This well-known bird, although it breeds more or less 

 commonly and regularly in many, if not most, of our 

 English counties, as well as in Ireland and Scotland, is, 

 I think, generally looked upon as an autumnal visitor in 

 Central and Southern England, from the fact that at the 

 commencement of autumn it congregates in large flocks, 

 whose wavering flight, incessant twittering notes and 

 habit of clustering upon alders and birches in the same 

 fashion as the Siskin, can hardly escape the attention of 

 many who would perhaps hardly notice any small bird 

 that occurred singly or in pairs. I have never had the 

 good fortune to find a "wild" nest of this bird, whose 

 choice of nesting-sites seems to be very promiscuous. 



The Lesser Redpoll breeds freely in captivity, and we 

 have had several nests in the aviaries at Lilford, but for 

 some unknown reason, hardly any young birds have been 

 reared therein by their parents. 



