1 92 1.] Breedinf/ Birds of Crete. 129 



Carduelis carduelis harmsi Reichw. 



Four adults in worn breedino- plumage agree well with 

 l>irds in similar plumage from Palestine. After a further 

 examination of birds from the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Palestine, 

 and (/jprus, I am confident that only one race of the Gold- 

 finch occurs as a breeding species in these localities. The 

 difference in the intensity of the colour on the back among 

 freshly-moulted birds and worn birds is very renuirkable, and 

 accounts for the many races which have been described from 

 the range of C. c. harmsi. 



Acanthis cannabina mediterranea Tschusi. 



I cannot agree with Stresemann (Avif. Macedon.) that 

 A. c. mediterranea becomes a synonym of A. c. hella. 

 The latter race was described from Syria, and all Syrian 

 birds which I have examined are most certainly A. c.frin- 

 (jillirostris. Stresemann appeal's only to have examined 

 birds from Asia Minor, and these are quite likely A. c. 

 mediteri-anea. It does not follow that Syrian and Asia 

 Minor birds are similar. A. c. hella must therefore remain 

 a synonym of A. e. fringillirosiris. 



A common breeding bird, but not seen below 2000 feet. 

 Full-grown young were seen in early June. When I first 

 saw these birds on Mount Ida, far away from bushes and 

 among rocks and dwarf alpine plants, I thought they were 

 Twites, more especially as I believe Drummond reported 

 Twites from the island. I shot several of tliese Mount Ida 

 Linnets, and I do not think the Twite exists in Crete. / 



Fringilla ccelebs subsp.? 



Four males in worn breeding plumage appear to be less 

 brown on the upper back than birds from the continent, and 

 they are on the small side, the wings varying from 84 to 

 88 mm. 



The (chaffinch is a common breeding bird from sea-level 

 to the top of the Ih^x forest at 5000 feet. Young were just 

 out of the nest by the middle of June. 



Cretan name " spinos.'' 



SER. XI. VOL. III. K 



