FRINGILLIN^. 



175 



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THE SISKIN. 



Carduelis spinus (Linnreus). 



The Siskin, or Aberdevine as it has been called since the time of 

 Albin, is principally known in England and Wales during winter 

 and on its migrations to and from its more northern breeding- 

 quarters ; but there is evidence that it has bred, exceptionally, in 

 Surrey, Sussex, and perhaps some other southern counties. In the 

 north, where fir-woods are more abundant, it has nested in the 

 county of Durham ; while a few pairs breed regularly in some parts 

 of Cumberland, and in the Solway district in Scotland. From 

 Perthshire northward, it nests freely in some of the old fir-wood 

 districts, and suitable localities up to Caithness ; in East Sutherland 

 it is said to be resident, and it breeds in Ross-shire ; but on the 

 western side generally it is only a somewhat rare winter-visitor, and 

 has not yet been traced to the Outer Hebrides nor the Orkneys, 

 although it occurs on both passages in the Shetlands. In Ireland 

 it nests in many counties where pine-trees flourish, especially in 

 Wicklow and Waterford ; while in winter it is tolerably common. 



In Northern Europe the breeding-limit of the Siskin coincides 

 with that of conifer-growth ; and southward, the bird nests in some 

 of the fir-woods of Germany, South Holland, France, Switzerland, 

 Northern Italy as far as the vicinity of Florence, Austria, and 



