67 

 Geographical Races. 



a. Canary, S. eanarius canarius (L.). 



Plate 26, fig. 7 (Tenerife, 16. IV. 91). 



Foreign Names: Azores, Canaries, etc.: Canario, Pajaro canario. 



Serinus canarius (L.). Dresser, Birds of Europe, III, p. 557; id. Man. Pal. 

 Birds, p. 281. S. canaria canaria (L ). Hai'tert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 84. 



Breeding Range: The Canaries, Azores and Madeira. (Has occurred in 

 the British Isles, Italy, etc.). 



This large race of the Serin is abundant in most of the islands in the above 

 named groups. The nest is built not only on orange and cypress trees, 10 to 

 20 ft. from the ground, but also in the heaths and cistus scrub on the hillsides, 

 sometimes within a few inches of the ground. It is composed of stalks or moss, 

 lined with white hair, down or feathers. The number of eggs is variable: 3 is 

 the usual clutch on the Azores, but 4 are sometimes found; while in the Canaries 

 5 eggs are not unusual and 6 have been recorded. In the Azores eggs may be 

 found throughout April and Maj", but in Tenerife along the coast nesting begins 

 in January and at least two broods are reared, although in the high mountains 

 breeding takes place in June and July (Meade-Waldo). In colour the eggs are 

 variable ; some are white without markings, but most have spots or streaks of dark 

 purplish red, sometimes only the paler underlying markings, on a pale bluish 

 or even reddish white ground. 



62 eggs from the Azores, Tenerife, Palma, etc., average 17.17 X 13 mm., 

 Max. 19.1 X 13.3 and 18 X 14 mm., Min. 15.5 X 13.1 and 16.6 X 12 mm. Schmitz 

 has taken eggs 20X13.5 and 17.8X14.5 mm. in Madeira. 



b. Serin, S. canarius serinus (L.). See p. 65. 



[Another species of this genus, S. syriacus Bp., occurs locally in the mountain 

 districts of Palestine, nesting in the forks of tali shrubs. Two eggs taken by 

 Tristram on June 16, 1864, measure 16.7 X 12.4 and 17.1 X 13 mm. (coll. Newton). 

 It has been recorded from Dalmatia. S. icterus (Bonnat.-Vieill.) is said to have 

 occurred in England and Italy, and S. canicollis Swains, has been twice taken in 

 the south of England.] 



37. Red-fronted Fineli, Serinus i)usillus (Pall.). 



Plate 38, fig. 10 (Caucasus). 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: ZvonohUk rushy. France: Serin nain. 

 Germany: Botkopfiger Girlitz. Russia: Korolkoivyi Wjurok; near Tiflis: 

 Malinowka. 



Serinus piisillus (Pall.). Dresser, Birds of Europe, III, p. 561; id. 

 Man. Pal. Birds, p. 282; Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 85. 



Breeding Range: The Caucasus. [Also Taurus Mts., N. Persia, 

 Afghanistan, Turkestan, Kashmir, etc.]. 



Little is known of the breeding habits of this bird, which nests in 

 the juniper forests of the mountain ranges of western Asia. 



The nest is described as rather larger and better built than that of Nest. 

 the Serin, constructed of fine grasses with sometimes a few fine twigs in 



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