41. SERINUS. 357 



Serinus flavifrons, Pr. Wurttemb. MSS. ; Heugl. J.f. 0. 1867, p. 297. 

 Crithagra crassirostris, Peters, J. f. O. 18(38, p. 133 ; Finsch & 



Hart/, Tog. Ostafr. p. 458 (1870). 

 Serinus chrysopygus, Heugl. J.f. O. 1868, p. 9~>. 

 Crithagra mossambica, Peters, J.f. O. 1868, p. 134. 

 Crithagra butvracea, Finsch # Hartl. Fog. Ostafr. p. 455 (1870) ; 



Heugl. Orn'. N.O.-Afr. i. pt. 2, p. 371 (1*70) ; Sulvin, Cat. Strickl, 



Coll. p. 216 (1882); Bohm, J.f. O. 1883, p. 201 ; Bochebr. Faun. 



Seneg., Ois. p. 258 (1885). 

 Crithagra ictera, Sharpe, eel. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 485, 850 (1884). 



Adult male. General colour above dull greenish, the feathers of 

 the back centred with blackish, producing a streaked appearance ; 

 rump uniform bright yellow ; lesser wing-coverts yellowish green ; 

 median and greater coverts blackish, edged and tipped with brighter 

 yellow ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills blackish, fringed 

 with yellow, a little broader on the secondaries, which are edged 

 with ashy at the tip ; upper tail-coverts dusky brown, broadly edged 

 with yellow ; tail-feathers black, edged with yellow and tipped with 

 ashy white, which enlarges into a spot at the end of the inner web ; 

 crown of head like the back but the streaks narrower ; hind neck 

 still more uniform ; lores, feathers round eye, and ear-coverts slaty 

 black, forming a black band, which is surmounted by a broad eyebrow 

 of bright yellow which traverses the forehead ; cheeks bright yellow, 

 separated from the throat, which is also yellow, by a broad malar 

 streak of black ; remainder of under surface of body bright yellow ; 

 the sides of the breast, sides of body, and flanks ashy greenish ; 

 thighs and under tail-coverts pale yellow, the latter whitish towards 

 their ends ; under wing-coverts and axillaries ashy, edged with 

 yellow ; quills below dusky, ashy along the inner edge : " bill horn- 

 brown, the mandible paler ; feet dusky ; iris umber-brown " ( Heuglin). 

 Total length 4-3 inches, eulmen 0-4, wing 2-7, tail 1-7, tarsus 0-65. 



Between the summer and winter plumages of the adult males there 

 is no difference beyond that caused by wear and tear of the feathers. 

 The latter become browner and get abraded to such an extent that 

 the whole of the yellow margins to the wing-coverts are worn off and 

 disappear. The sides of the upper breast are also much worn and 

 become ashy in tint. 



The adult female differs only from the male in being less brilliant 

 in colour, being rather browner above, and in having the yellow 

 edges to the wing-coverts more obscure. The yellow of the face 

 and underparts is duller and there is a white spot on the chin. 

 Total length 4-4 inches, eulmen - 35, wing 2-6, tail 1*8, tarsus 0*55. 



The young male resembles the old female, but is browner above 

 with only a tinge of yellow. The band through the eye is pale 

 brown and consequently not so distinct, and the malar stripe is less 

 strongly indicated, while the breast has always some dusky spots. 

 Wing 2-65 inches. 



The young female is like the young male, but is more plentifully 

 spotted on the breast. Wing 2-4 inches. 



West-African birds are decidedly smaller and somewhat brighter 



