Mr. W. E. Brooks on the Genus Acanthis. 361 
forms closely allied, but nevertheless sufficiently segregated 
to rank as distinct species/ Compared with my statements 
above, we seem to be of very opposite views in this case; 
but I think I can offer a satisfactory explanation. By com¬ 
paring summer specimens of the so-called A. holhoelli from 
Greenland and more southern winter birds with the ordinary 
form occurring in Europe and America under that name, I 
was at once struck by the great differences. The Green¬ 
land bird is evidently considerably larger, its bill much 
stouter and somewhat differently shaped—not so pointed— 
besides being on the average a trifle shorter. As to colour, I 
thought they were rather darker and heavier-streaked below. 
I was very soon convinced that these birds were different 
from the common A. holboelli } being in fact the form originally 
described by Coues as A. rostratus , but afterwards given up by 
him. It was also clear that the specimens examined and 
described by Brewster were the winter plumage of the same 
form. The Redpolls are rather difficult to determine from 
descriptions, but if the latter were all so clear and thorough 
as those of Mr. Brewster, there would have been less confusion 
in this group of birds. His statement that the specimens 
from New England f will be found to differ from the ordinary 
type (A. linaria) in being very much larger, with stouter, less 
acute bills, generally darker coloring, and especially darker, 
coarser streaking beneath/ will apply to A. rostrata , as 
distinguished not only from A. linaria but also from true A. 
holboelli. Nevertheless, I do agree with him in regarding 
Acanthis rostrata as a f distinct species/ The conclusion of 
Mr. Brewster is easily explained, he probably having only the 
short-billed A. linaria for comparison; but as the measure¬ 
ments given below show there is a regular intergradation, and 
the Greenland bird cannot be justly designated except as con- 
specific with the other forms. It w r ill therefore, after the 
common usage of American writers, stand as A. linaria 
rostrata ( Stejneger , l. s. c .) 
With this last conclusion of Dr. Stejneger’s I cannot 
agree, and I go entirely with Mr. Brewster as to complete 
specific distinctness. Apart from its gigantic size for a 
ser. v.— VOL. iv. 2 c 
