Brewster on HolbolVs Redpoll in New England. 
[April 
Measurements.* Five adult males. Wing, 3-10-3.30; tail, 
2.46-264; length of bill from base, .40.-45; depth of bill at 
base, .25-. 28. 
Five immature males. Wing, 3.-3. 14; tail, 2.27-2.65 ; length 
of bill from base, .40-. 45 ; depth of bill, .25-. 26. 
Five females. Wing, 2.95-3.07 ; tail, 2.34-2.55 ; length of 
bill, .36-.41 ; depth of bill, .24-. 25. 
The above characters have been taken from what I assume to 
be typical representatives. Between these extremes my series 
furnishes a perfect intergradation in size and a partial one in 
respect to shape of bill, coloring, markings, etc. Nevertheless 
I have yet to see a bird which cannot be consistently referred to 
one or the other form when the bearing of all its characters is 
carefully weighed. Moreover, it is significant that the apparent 
connecting links are furnished by large adult males of linaria 
and small females of holboelli , the variations among individuals 
of the same age and sex failing to afford any real intermediates. 
Taking this fact into account, and without regard to what has been 
previously written on the subject, I should interpret the evidence 
at hand as indicating that linaria and holboelli are forms closely 
allied, but nevertheless sufficiently segregated to rank as distinct 
species. Dr. Coues and Mr. Ridgway, however, agree in treat- 
ing their relationship as a varietal one, and this opinion, based, 
as it is, on exceptionally favorable opportunities in respect to 
the examination of material, should not be lightly disregarded. 
Still I cannot help suspecting that this point, as well as certain 
others offered by the genus MUgiothus , will bear further investi- 
gation, and that this may lead to more or less important changes 
in the arrangement at present accepted. 
It is worthy of note that most of the HoIbolPs Red-polls taken 
here this winter have occurred on or very near the sea-shore. 
Indeed, there is no evidence show that they have been more 
* Without going into details of measurements of a large series of linaria before me, 
I will simply remark that out of some sixty specimens, only two (both of which are 
adult males) give a longer wing-measurement than the smallest holboelli. The larger 
of these has a wing 3.08 inches long. In at least nineteen cases out of twenty, however 
I find it perfectly safe to refer a Red-poll with a wing-measurement of 3 inches or 
over, and a depth of bill of .25 inches or over to AL.holboelli; that is, such a specimen 
will present most, if not all of the other characters already pointed out as distinguish- 
ing this form. In the twentieth case size must be disregarded and the other characters 
carefully considered. This, of course, relates to New England specimens only. 
