362 Mr. W. E. Brooks on the Genus Acanthis. 
Redpoll, it possesses a notable character of its own in its 
most un-redpoll-like bill. On the whole, I do not know of 
any species more satisfactory. 
I have an observation or two to make on the “ species ” 
Acanthis holboelli, Brehm. I have examined five examples, 
two of them being European. Wings 3H0 to 2*80. The 
coloration is that of A . linaria, w r ith streaking perhaps not 
quite as bold, but the bill is long and almost Goldfinch-like. 
But for the extra long bill it could not be separated from A. 
linaria . I have had many more than one hundred A. linaria 
through my hands, obtained here and elsewhere, and in no 
instance have I been able to match the long bill of typical 
A. holboelli. In one European example, from point of bill to 
back of skull is 115, another 1*10, of a third 1*12, and of 
a fourth 1*10. This measurement is in average A. linaria 
(male) about 1‘00. To me it is not a thoroughly satisfactory 
species, like the others, but at present its long bill is not 
easily accounted for. I am not partial to the trinomial 
system, but for convenience* sake this bird might stand 
as Acanthis linaria holboelli. It is a variation not yet 
thoroughly worked out. 
Another form Dr. Stejneger treats of in his excellent mono¬ 
graph in f The Auk * above referred to is Acanthis linaria 
pallescens, Homeyer. This is, I think, only a variation of the 
ordinary A. linaria. I examined Dr. Stejneger*s Norwegian 
example. Like others I have obtained here, it is extra mealy- 
looking. Some examples of A. linaria appear quickly to lose 
all fulvous tone after the autumnal moult, if they had it then, 
and the two prevailing colours left are dark brownish grey 
and white. This loss of colour may be due to weakness or 
some other cause, but it is certainly not specific, and I should 
say one or more might be found in every spring flock of 
A. linaria. 
I would abandon this form altogether, not allowing it even 
the use of a trinomial. 
We have, then, five very well-marked species of Acanthis, 
viz. A. hornemanni, A. eocilipes, A. rostrata, A. linaria, and 
A . rufescens: also one doubtful bird, A. linaria holboelli. 
