THE SISKINS. 4T 



in their style of coloration, which consists chiefly of green and 

 yellow, the crown of the head being in most cases black. 



The Siskins are found all over South and North America, 

 throughout Europe and Northern Asia, to the Himalayas, and 

 they occur also in North-eastern Africa, the highlands of 

 Equatorial Africa, and reappear in the Cape Colony. 



I. THE SISKIN. CHRYSOMITRIS SPINUS. 



Fringilla spinus, Linn., S. N., i., p. 322 (1766) ; Lilford, Col. 



Fig. Br. B., pt. xiv. (1890). 

 Cardudis spinus, Macg., Br. B., i., p. 400 (1837); Newt. ed. 



Yarr., ii., p. 126 (1877). 

 Chrysomitris spi/ius, Dresser, B. Eur., iii., p. 541, pi. 169 



(1876); B. O. U. List Br. B., 48 (1883); Sharpe, Cat. B. 



Br. Mus., xii., p. 212 (1888); Saunders, Man., p. 167 



(1889). 



Adult Male. — Head black ; throat black ; back yellowish 

 green, with dusky shaft-streaks on the feathers of the upper 

 surface ; rump brighter yellow ; flanks yellowish, streaked with 

 black ; tail-feathers yellow at base ; bill dusky, livid at base ; 

 feet light brown ; iris brown. Total length, 4-5 inches ; culmen, 

 0-45 ; wing, 27; tail, 17; tarsus, 0-55. 



Adult Female. — Differs from the male in wanting the black 

 head ; under surface white, tinged with yellow on the throat ; 

 sides of body and flanks streaked with black centres to the 

 feathers. 



Range in Great Britain. — Breeding in Scotland and in certain 

 parts of Ireland (co. Waterford and Wicklow). Generally 

 known as a winter visitor to England, though it is said to have 

 nested in most of the English counties. 



Range outside the British Islands. — Breeds throughout the pine 

 districts of Europe, in Scandinavia to lat. 67 , in Russia 

 to the vicinity of Archangel, and in the Urals to lat. 58 . 

 Extends throughout Siberia to Japan. Winters to the south- 

 ward. 



Nest. — A pretty structure, cup-shaped, made of moss with a 

 few feathers and lined with horse-hair. Mr. Seebohm says 

 that there is generally a foundr.tion of grass stalks with a few 



