SPECIES 15. FRINGILLA LINARIA.

LESSER RED-POLL.

[Plate XXX.-Fig. 4.]

LATH. II, S05,-Arct. Zool. 379.-Le Sizeren, BUFF. IV, 216.PEALE'S Museum, No. 6579.

THIS bird corresponds so exactly in size, figure and colour of plumage with that of Europe, of the same name, as to place their identity beyond a doubt. They inhabit during summer the most northern parts of Canada and still more remote northern countries, from whence they migrate at the commencement of winter. They appear in the Gennesee country with the first deep snow, and on that account are usually called by the title of Snow-birds. As the female is destitute of the crimson on the breast and forehead, and the young birds do not receive that ornament till the succeeding spring, such a small proportion of the individuals that form these flocks are marked with red, as to induce a general belief among the inhabitants of those parts that they are two different kinds associated together. Flocks of these birds have been occasionally seen in severe winters in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. They seem particularly fond of the seeds of the common alder, and hang head downwards while feeding, in the manner of the Yellow-bird. They seem extremely unsuspicious at such times, and will allow a very near approach without betraying any symptoms of alarm.

The specimen represented in the plate was shot, with severral others of both sexes, in Seneca county, between the Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Some individuals were occasionally heard to. chant a few interrupted notes, but no satisfactory account can be given of their powers of song.

This species extends throughout the whole northern parts of Europe, is likewise found in the remote wilds of Russia; was seen by Steller in Kamtschatka; and probably inhabits corresponding climates round the whole habitable parts of the northern hemisphere. In the highlands of Scotland they are common, building often on the tops of the heath, sometimes in a low furze bush, like the common Linnet; and sometimes on the ground. The nest is formed of light stalks of dried grass, intermixed with tufts of wool, and warmly lined with feathers. The eggs are usually four, white, sprinkled with specks of reddish.

NOTE.

Fringilla Linaria, GMEL. Syst. 1, p. 917, 29. F. flavirostris, Id. p. 915, 27.—LATH. Ind. Orn. p. 438, No. 16, p. 458, No. 83.—Le Cabaret, BUFF. Ois. iv, p. 76. Pl. Enl. 485.—BewICK, I, p. 191. -Fauna Orcadensis, p. 64, 3.—Gros-bec Sizerin, TEмM. Man. d'Orn, p. 373.

CONTRARY to the usual practice of Wilson, he omitted to furnish a particular description of this species, accompanying its figure. But this supplementary notice would not have been considered necessary, if our author had not fallen into a mistake respecting the markings of the female, and the young male; the former of which he describes as destitute of the crimson on the forehead; and the latter not receiving that ornament till the succeeding spring. When Wilson procured his specimens, it was in the autumn, previously to their receiving their perfect winter dress; and he was never afterwards aware of his error, owing to the circumstance of these birds seldom appearing in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. Considerable flocks of them, however, having visited us in the winter of 1813-14, we were enabled to procure several fine specimens of both sexes, from the most perfect of which we took the following description. We will add, that having had the good fortune to observe a flock, consisting of nearly a hundred, within a few VOL. II.—K k

feet of them, as they were busily engaged in picking the seeds of some garden plants, we can with confidence assert that they all had the red patch on the crown; but there were very few which had the red rump and breast; the young males, it is probable, are not thus marked until the spring; and the females are destitute of that ornament altogether.

The Lesser Red-poll is five inches and a quarter in length, and eight inches and a half in breadth; the bill is pale yellow, ridged above and below with dark horn colour, the upper mandible projecting somewhat over the lower at the tip; irides dark hazel; the nostrils are covered with recumbent, hair-like feathers of drab colour; a line of brown extends from the eyes, and encircles the base of the bill, forming in some specimens a patch below the chin; the crown is ornamented with a pretty large spot of deep shining crimson; the throat, breast and rump, stained with the same, but of a more delicate red; the belly is of a very pale ash, or dull white; the sides are streaked with dusky; the whole upper parts are brown or dusky, the plumage edged with yellowish white and pale ash, the latter most predominant near the rump; wings and tail dusky, the latter is forked, and consists of twelve feathers edged with white; the primaries are very slightly tipped and edged with white; the secondaries more so; the greater and lesser coverts are also tipped with white, forming the bars across the wings; thighs cinereous; legs and feet black; hind claw considerably hooked, and longer than the rest.

The female is less bright in her plumage above; and her under parts incline more to an ash colour; the spot on her crown is of a golden crimson, or reddish saffron.

One male specimen was considerably larger than the rest; it measured five inches and three quarters in length, and nine inches and a quarter in breadth; the breast and rump were tawny; its claws were uncommonly long, the hind one measured nearly three-eighths of an inch; and the spot on the crown was of a darker hue than that of the rest.

The call of this bird exactly resembles that of the Fringilla tristis, or common Yellow-bird of Pennsylvania.

The Red-polls linger in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia until about the middle of April; but whither they retire for the business of incubation, we cannot determine.

In common with almost all our Finches, the Red-polls become very fat, and are then accounted delicious eating. During the winter above-mentioned, many thousands of them were exposed to sale in the Philadelphia market, and were readily purchased by those epicures, whose love of variety permits no delicacy to escape them.

In America this species must breed far to the north, perhaps beyond the residence of man, as they are so tame and unsuspicious that one can openly approach to within five or six feet of them, while they are occupied in feeding. As a proof of their rarity in Pennsylvania, I have not observed them since the early part of the year 1814; they were then so common that they swarmed in the gardens of Philadelphia.-G. Ord.

SPECIES 16. FRINGILLA PASSERINA.

YELLOW-WINGED SPARROW.

[Plate XXIV.-Fig. 5.]

PEALE'S Museum, No. 6585.

THIS Small species is now for the first time introduced to the notice of the public. I can, however, say little towards illustrating its history, which, like that of many individuals of the human race, would be but a dull detail of humble obscurity. It inhabits the lower parts of New York and Pennsylvania; is very numerous on Staten island, where I first observed it; and occurs also along the sea coast of New Jersey. But though it breeds in each of these places, it does not remain in any of them during the winter. It has a short, weak, interrupted chirrup, which it occasionally utters from the fences and tops of low bushes. Its nest is fixed on the ground, among the grass; is formed of loose dry grass, and lined with hair and fibrous roots of plants. The eggs are five, of a grayish white sprinkled with brown. On the first of August I found the female sitting.

I cannot say what extent of range this species has, having never met with it in the southern states; though I have no doubt that it winters there with many others of its tribe. It is the scarcest of all our summer Sparrows. Its food consists principally of grass seeds, and the larvæ of insects, which it is almost continually in search of among the loose soil and on the surface, consequently it is more useful to the farmer than otherwise.

The length of this species is five inches, extent eight inches; upper part of the head blackish, divided by a slight line of white; hind head and neck above marked with short lateral touches of black and white; a line of yellow extends from above the eye to the nostril; cheeks plain brownish white; back streaked with