92 BRITISH BIRDS. 
FRINGILLA SPINUS. 
SISKIN. 
(Puate 12.) 
Carduelis ligurinus, Briss. Orn. iii. p, 65 (1760). 
Fringilla spinus, Zinn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 822 (1766); et auctorum plurimorum— 
Gmelin, Scopoli, Latham, Temminck, (Bonaparte), (Degland § Gerbe), (Dresser), 
(Newton), &e. 
Emberiza spinus (Linn.), Scop. Ann. I. Hist. Nat. p. 145 (1769). 
Fringilla fasciata, Mill. Natursyst. Suppl. p. 165 (1776). 
Linaria spinus (Linn.), Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. Se. Brit. Mus. p. 15 (1816). 
Spinus viridis, Koch, Syst. baier. Zool. i. p. 235 (1816). 
Serinus spinus (Linn.), Bote, Isis, 1822, p. 555. 
Passer spinus (Linn.), Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. ii. p. 16 (1826). 
Carduelis spinus (Linn.), Steph. Shaw's Gen. Zool. xiv. i. p. 83 (1826). 
Chrysomitris spinus (Linn.), Bote, Isis, 1828, p. 322. 
Fringilla (Acanthis) spinus (Zinn.), Keys. u. Blas. Wirb, Eur. p. xli (1840). 
Spinus vulgaris, Goebel, Journ. Orn. 1873, p. 15. 
Chrysomitris dybowskii, Taczanowsky, Journ. Orn, 1876, p. 199. 
In England and Wales the Siskin is principally known as a winter 
visitor, and is at that season more or less commonly distributed throughout 
the country, becoming rarer in the extreme south-west. To the Channel 
Islands it is only known as a rare straggler. Its occurrence in summer 
in England is very exceptional; and the instances of its remaining im 
this country to breed are few, although it is quite possible more remain 
than is generally supposed. From the evidence to be gleaned upon the 
subject, there can be little doubt that the Siskin has bred in the counties 
of Kent, Surrey, Dorset, Sussex, Middlesex, Oxford, Gloucester, Denbigh, 
Bedford, Derby, York, Westmoreland, and Durham. In Scotland the 
bird is much commoner than in England, and breeds regularly in many 
localities, according to Mr. Gray chiefly in the eastern counties. In the 
west of Scotland, with the exception of Argyleshire and Sutherlandshire 
(in which latter county it is said to be a resident), it is known as a winter 
visitor. It has not yet been met with in Orkney, but is a scarce winter 
visitor to Shetland. In Ireland it is best known as a winter visitor to 
most suitable districts. Although Thompson suggested that the bird may 
occasionally breed in Wicklow and other localities im the north, it was not 
until 1871 that a nest was found in that county. An account of this was 
contributed to the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1874 (p. 8915) by Mr. Barrington, in 
whose grounds it was discovered. A second nest was also found by this 
gentleman in the same county, and particulars concerning it furnished to 
the same periodical for 1876 (p. 4957). 
