174

BRITISH BIRDS.

LESSER REDPOLE.

(Fringilla Linaria, Lin.—Le Sizerin, Buff.)

LENGTH about five inches: Bill pale brown, point dufty; eyes hazel; the forehead is marked with a pretty large spot, of a deep purplish red; the breast is of the fame colour, but lefs bright; the feathers on the back are dufty, edged with pale brown; the greater and leffer coverts tipped with dirty white, forming two light bars acrofs the wing; the belly and thighs are of a dull white; the quills and tail dufty, edged with dirty white; the latter fomewhat forked; legs dufty. In our bird the rump was fomewhat reddifh, in which it agrees with the Twite of Mr Pennant, and moft probably confitutes one fpecies with it and the Mountain Linnet, the differences being immaterial, and mere-

BRITISH BIRDS.

175

ly fuch as might arife from age, food, or other ac-
cidental circumftances. The female has no red on
the breaſt or rump, and the ſpot on her forehead is
of a ſaffron colour; her plumage in general is not
ſo bright as that of the male.

Birds of this kind are not unfrequent in this island;
they breed chiefly in the northern parts, where
they are known by the name of French Linnets.
They make a fhallow open neſt, compoſed of dried
grafs and wool, and lined with hair and feathers:
The female lays four eggs, almoſt white, marked
with reddifh ſpots. In the winter they mix with
other birds, and migrate in flocks to the southern
counties: They feed on ſmall feeds of various
kinds, eſpecially thofe of the alder, of which they
are extremely fond; they hang, like the Titmouſe,
with their back downwards, upon the branches
while feeding, and in this fituation may eafily be
caught with lime twigs. This ſpecies is found in
every part of Europe, from Italy to the moſt ex-
treme parts of the Ruffian empire. In America
and the northern parts of Afia it is likewife very
common.