the same in depth inside, the walls being scarcely anywhere
an inch in thickness *. The eggs, from four to > six in number,
are not to be distinguished in colour from those of the Mealy
Redpoll, but are smaller in size, measuring from '69 to ‘57
by from '52 to *45 in. The time of nidification would seem
to vary somewhat according to locality. In the north of
England it doubtless begins so late that the young are, as
stated by Selby, seldom able to fly before the end of June or
beginning of July, but further to the southward the birds
are certainly a month earlier, as eggs are known to have been
laid by the end of April, though they may be also found
unhatched in June. In the north of Ireland, according to
Thompson, the eggs are laid during the first half of May.
The tameness of this pleasing little bird has long been
known. Pennant says that one “ was so tenacious of her
nest as to suffer us to take her off with our hand, and we
found that after we had released her she would not forsake
it.” f But this absence of fear is not confined to the breeding
season, and even in autumn and winter, when nearly all
other birds are wildest, a flock of Redpolls as they feed may
not only be closely approached, and their various engaging
actions studied within a very short distance, but advantage may
even be taken of their heedle-ssness or unsuspecting confidence
to capture some of the party by means of a limed rod, or
to shoot at will almost any number of victims, the survivors,
as Mr. W. T. Bree has remarked (Nat. 1838, p. 426), returning
to the same tree after each discharge of the gun.
As summer draws on the Lesser Redpoll may be seen in
bands scattered over tracts of open country, feeding, like
Goldfinches, on the seeds of the thistle, groundsel, dandelion
and other composite plants, but with the approach of
autumn these bands usually unite in larger flocks, and
though some undoubtedly stay near their breeding-quarters,
betaking themselves once more to woods, plantations or
A nest brought to the Editor which was taken, in 1873, in a garden at
Cambridge was built in and upon that of a Long-tailed Titmouse.
f Both this bird and the Mealy Redpoll are easily reconciled to and have bred
in captivity.
hedgerows, the majority and especially the young of the year
keep to the unenclosed districts and migrate southward.
Of these again a considerable number leave this country
altogether and resort, as has been already noticed^ to the
Continent, but enough always remain with us during the
winter to render their appearance, except in the extreme west
of England and Ireland, no rare event. Many a dull day
at that time of year is enlivened to the outdoor naturalist by
his encountering a flock of Redpolls, for to watch their agile
movements as they flit from tree to tree or swing back-down-
wards from the ends of the pendulous branches, all the
while keeping up an incessant twittering, invariably affords
interest and amusement. At -this season, and even earlier,
they often associate with Siskins in their search for^ food,
and eat the buds as well as the seeds of trees, proving in
this way, says Selby, seriously injurious to young plantations,
but in general -their numbers cannot be sufficient to produce
any great damage. Occasionally too they will fall in
with a troop of some species of Titmouse, but the incongruous
companionship does not last long. The same locality is
seldom frequented for any length of time: m a few days, or
perhaps little more than a week, the supply of food it furnishes
is exhausted, and then the party rove off m some
other direction. Towards the end of winter the cocks break
out in song, which though not powerful is lively and agreeable,
and begin to indulge in the characteristic exultant flight
during which it is generally uttered. Pairing is effected
without much more than the show of contention, and the
mated couples, who exhibit the strongest tokens of mutual
affection, shortly after look out a convenient home for the
ensuing season.
In summer the bill of the cock is brownish horn-colour,
the lower mandible tinged with yellow at the base: the
hides dusky brown: the feathers covering the nostrils light
brown ; lores and ear-coverts blackish-brown mixed with
rufous on the latter; forehead to behind the eyes glossy
blood-red; the rest of the head, nape, mantle and upper
wing-coverts, dark brown, the feathers more or less broadly