FRINGILLA CCELEBS 213 



greater wing-coverts black, In-oadly tipped with yellowish-white ; lesser 

 wing-coverts pure white; lores, ear-coverts and region round eye brown, 

 becoming paler and more vinous on the throat, breast and rest of under- 

 parts, and almost white on the crissum and under tail-coverts. 



Iris hazel ; bill livid flesh-colour, darker at the tip ; feet light brown. 



Total length 6 inches, wing 3'50, culmen -50, tarsus 'TS. 



Adult female, winter, from Tunis, North Tunisia. 



Above brown, with a slight greenish tinge ; rump and upper tail-coverts 

 green ; tail and wings as in the male ; below grey-brown, lighter on the 

 abdomen and crissum. 



Soft parts as in the male ; measurements slightly less. 



Observations. — The summer plumage of both male and female is 

 brighter. 



Our European Chaffinch undoubtedly occurs as a winter migrant 

 in North-west Africa, as well as in Egypt (Shelley, Birds of Egypt, 

 p. 151), and is to be met with in certain numbers in the Tunisian 

 Eegency during the winter and early spring months. It is most 

 frequently found in the more northern districts, but ranges along the 

 sea-coast of the Eegency to the Tripoli frontier ; I have an example 

 of it from Tatahouine, which is not far from that frontier. 



Dr. Koenig (J. f. 0. 1893, p. 56) met with the species near the 

 village of Schradou, on the east coast of Tunisia, towards the end of 

 March, and again on the Djebel Batteria in the same district as late 

 as April 15th. The birds he saw seemed to be on passage, and were 

 in small flocks, consisting chiefly of females, although on the latter 

 occasion he also saw two male birds. April 15th is certainly a late 

 date for this species to remain in Tunisia, and Dr. Koenig was no 

 doubt perfectly right in concluding that the birds he saw were on 

 passage. A still later date for the occurrence of F. ccelebs in North- 

 west Africa has, however, been recorded by Mr. C. Dixon, who states 

 that he found it rather common in the cork-woods in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Philippeville as late as the middle of May (Ibis, 1882, 

 p. 574). It is to be regretted that Mr. Dixon was unable to ascer- 

 tain whether the birds he saw were nesting, or whether they were 

 merely on passage, as it is still doubtful whether our European 

 Chaffinch ever breeds south of the Mediterranean. 



Loche and Malherbe both mention F. coelebs as occurring in 

 Algeria, and from North Marocco I have specimens obtained during 

 the winter months. 



