LESSER RED-POLL, 
269 
lower at the tip ; irides, dark hazel ; the nostrils are 
*^Vered with recumbent, hair-like feathers, of drab 
’Colour ; a line of brown extends from the eyes, and 
^leirdes the base of the bill, forming’, in some speci- 
Jj'ns, a pat(di below the chin ; the cz’own is oniamcnted 
J^kh a pi-etty large spot of deep shining crimson ; the 
""■oat, breast, and rump stained with the same, but of 
'more delicate red; the belly is of a very pale ash, or 
'll! white; the sides are streaked with dusky, the 
’’sole upper })arts are bi'owu or dusky, the plumage 
*%ed with yellowish white and pale ash, the latter 
jjist predominant near the rtimp ; wings and tail dusky, 
^6 latter is forked, and consists of twelve feathers edged 
white; the primaries iire very slightly tipt and 
‘li^ed with « hite ; the secondaries more so ; the greater 
JJid lesser coverts are also tipt with white, forming 
p® bars across the wings ; thighs, cinereous ; legs and 
!?®t, black : hind claw, considerably hooked, and longer 
j'Hn the rest. The female is less briglit in herplumage 
'“live ; and her under parts inclme more to an ash 
Ji'ilour; the spot on her crown is of a golden crimson, 
?' '■eddish saffron colour. One male sjzecimen was con- 
.''lei’jibly larger than the rest; it measiu'ed live inches 
^il three quarters in length, and nine inches and a 
J*l>irter in extent ; the breast and rump w'crc tawny ; 
* claw's ^vere uncommonly long, the hind one mea^ 
jJ'i'ed nearly three eighths of an inch ; and the spot on 
crown was of a dai’kcr hue than tliat of the rest. 
f The call of this bird exactly resembles that of the 
tristis, or common yellow bird of Pennsyl- 
jjida. The red-polls linger in the neighbourhood of 
;‘iladelphia until about the middle of April; but 
tnther they retire for the business of incubation, w'c 
jkuot determine. In common with almost all our 
^''®l>es, the red-polls become very fiit, and are then 
,i^'"kinted delicious eating. During the last winter, 
pj*!!y hundreds of them were exposed to sale in the 
{|^"ladelphia mm-ket, and were readily purchased hjr 
epicures, whose love of variety permits no deh- 
"y to escape them.] 
