48 



brown. Most of the spots are to be found at the large end, sometimes 

 forming an irregular zone; and occasionally eggs are met with both with 

 bluish and white ground, but entirely without markings. A scarce variety 

 is very thickly freckled with reddish spots. In shape and size they are 

 extremely variable, some being much elongated. 

 Breeding Few eggs are laid in England before the beginning of May, and in 



Season. f}^Q Midlands most are laid between May 20 and the beginning of June. 

 A second brood is frequently found in July, and fresh eggs may occasionally 

 be found late in August. Rey says that in Germany the eggs (5 — 7) are 

 laid in April, and a second brood (5 — 6 eggs) in May or June. In the 

 south of Europe the breeding season is rather earlier, beginning in mid- 

 April in Greece. The eggs are hatched early on the 14th day (Evans). 

 The hen sits very close and frequently does not leave the nest till 

 almost touched. 

 Measure- Average of 101 eggs (77 continental eggs by Rey and 24 British 



ments. }yj tbe writer) 20.25 X 14.52 mm.. Max. 24.1 X 14.2 and 21 X 16 mm., 

 Min. 17.2X13.5 and 21.5X12.2 mm. Average weight 123 mg. (Rey). 

 3 fuU eggs average 2.122 g. (Poster). 



Dwarf eggs measure 15.5 X 12 (Rey) and 12.5 X 9.5 mm. (R. H. Read). 



Geographical Races. 



a. Common Greenfluch, C. chloris chloris (L.). See above, 

 b. Spanish Greenfinch, C chloris aurantiiventris (Cab.). 



Foreign Names: Portugal: Verdilhdo. Spain: Verdon, Verderon. 



C. chloris aurantiiventris (Cab.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 63. 



Breeding Range: Southern France, Spain und Portugal. [Also 

 Marocco, Algeria and Tunis.] 



Very abundant in Portugal, and common in gardens and wooded 

 districts in Spain. Fresh eggs may be found in Andalucia from the middle 

 of April. [In Marocco, Algeria and Tunis north of the Atlas range it is 

 a common resident; Hartert describes it as very plentiful in the orange 

 groves on the Oum R-biah in middle Marocco, and obtained eggs on 

 April 10.] 



In nesting habits and eggs this race closely resembles the common 

 Greenfinch. Average of 22 eggs from S. Spain, Algeria, etc., 20.64 X 14.56 

 mm., Max. 21.7X14 and 21.6X15 mm., Min. 19.2X15 and 20Xl4mm. 



[In Syria and Palestine the resident birds belong to the form C. chloris 

 chlorotica (Bp.). In China and Japan various forms of C. sinica L. are 

 found. An egg of the Japanese race, C. sinica minor (Temm. & Schl.) 

 from Japan is represented on PI. 15, fig. 4; and one of the Manchurian 

 race, C. sinica ussuriensis Hart., from the Amur on PL 15, fig. 5. A 

 young bird of C. sinica Avas captured near Copenhagen on Nov. 6, 1892.] 



