THE SERIN. 73 



is duller and more greenish, S. c. canarius (Canary, Madeira, 

 Azores) is considerably larger, much greyer, less brown on mantle, 

 and deeper yellow on under-parts. Female Serin superficially 

 resembles female Siskin, but is at once distinguished by its short 

 thick beak. 



Field-characters. — Size and shape resembling Lesser Redpoll, 

 but striped with the yellow and olive colours of a mule canary 

 —cock bright, hen dull. When flying away both sexes may be 

 recognized by light lemon-coloured longitudinal streak on lower 

 back, surrounding parts having dark appearance. Flight rather 

 swift and gliding, reminding of Sand-Martin, but this will be 

 more appreciated in breeding-season. Song, a finch-like " babb- 

 ling " of notes, but its harmony spoilt by the somewhat hissing 

 tone that pervades it (H. Lynes). 



Breeding-habits. — Nest. — Generally neatly concealed and being 

 small, difficult to see. In all kinds of trees and bushes, generally 

 five to twenty feet from ground, sometimes at ends of smaller 

 branches like Goldfinch's, and sometimes in fork. Neatly built 

 of stalks, lichen, and roots, woven together with spider-webs, and 

 lined thickly with hair (not down) and occasionally a feather or 

 two. Eggs. — Generally 4, sometimes 5 or only 3, and scarcely 

 distinguishable from those of Citril, Siskin and Goldfinch, but 

 generally rather smaller than Goldfinch's ; ground-colour pale 

 bluish, spotted and streaked with purplish and red-brown, chiefly 

 at big end. Average of 100 eggs 16.17 X 11.86 mm. Breeding- 

 season. — From mid-April in south and May in central Europe, and 

 beginning of March to July in north Africa : evidently two 

 broods. Incubation. — Lasts about ten days and is performed by hen. 



Food. — Seeds of various weeds and garden-plants. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Rare vagrant. About twenty 

 recorded England, ten being from Sussex coast, where also small 

 flock said to have been seen ; three Kent, four Norfolk, one or 

 two near London, one each Hants., Somerset, and Devon, and one 

 said to have been seen Yorks., and another Oxon. Two co. Dublin. 

 Male near Edinburgh Nov. 9, 1911. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — ^Nortli-west Africa and south Europe to 

 France and Switzerland. The form inhabiting Germany has been 

 separated as S. c. germanicus and birds from Holland and perhaps 

 north France belong to this form, as may also those obtained in 

 the British Isles. Represented on the Canaries and Madeira by 

 (S^. c. canarius. 



[Note. — " Wild " Canaries, Serinus canarius canarius (L.) have been 

 taken in Great Britain, but these were undoubtedly escaped birds, as in its 

 home (Canary Islands, Azores, and Madeira) the Canary Serin does not 

 migrate, and numbers are imported into our islands.] 



