FRINGILLA.] AVES INSESSORES. 137 



with the greater part of the exterior web yellow : bill and feet pale flesh- 

 red : irides dark hazel. (Female.) Upper parts cinereous, tinged with 

 green : under parts much paler than in the male bird : the yellow edging 

 on the outer webs of the primaries and tail-feathers not so bright. (Egg.) 

 White, tinged with light blue ; the larger end speckled and spotted with 

 purplish gray and dark brown : long. diam. nine lines and a half; trans, 

 diam. six lines and a half. 



Common in all parts of the country, and stationary throughout the 

 year. Feeds on seeds and grain. Has a harsh monotonous note, heard 

 from the end of February to the middle of August or September. Nest 

 generally placed in a thick bush ; composed of slender twigs, bents, and 

 moss, interwoven with wool, and lined with hair and feathers. Eggs four 

 or five. Is a late breeder, and seldom hatches before the middle of May. 

 Collects into flocks in Winter. 



(4. CARDUELIS, Briss.) 



97- F. Carduelis, Linn. (Goldfinch.) Base of the 

 bill, occiput, and nape, black : forehead and throat, blood- 

 red. 



F. Carduelis, Temm. Man. dOrn. torn. i. p. 376. Goldfinch, Mont. 



Orn. Diet. Selb. Illmt. vol. i. p. 312. pi. 55. f. 8, 9. Bew. Brit. 



Birds, vol. i. p. 192. 



DIMENS. Entire length five inches : length of the bill (from the fore- 

 head) six lines, (from the gape) six lines and a half; of the tarsus seven 

 lines ; of the tail two inches one line ; from the carpus to the end of the 

 wing three inches one line : breadth, wings extended, nine inches three 

 lines. 



DE SCRIPT. Base of the bill, lore, occiput and nape, deep black : fore- 

 head and throat arterial blood-red : cheeks, ear-coverts, fore part of the 

 neck, belly and abdomen, white : back, scapulars, and sides of the breast, 

 deep yellowish brown: lesser wing-coverts black; greater coverts, and 

 basal half of the quills, bright yellow ; the remaining portion of the quills 

 black, with a white spot at the tips : tail black ; the two outer feathers on 

 each side with a large oblong white spot on the middle of the inner web ; 

 the others tipped with white : bill yellowish white ; the tip dusky : feet 

 pale flesh-red. In the female, there is less red on the forehead and 

 throat ; the lesser wing-coverts are brown, and the colours in general not 

 so bright as in the male bird. (Egg.) Pale bluish white, with a few 

 spots and lines of pale purple and brown : long. diam. eight lines and a 

 half; trans, diam. six lines. 



. An abundant and generally diffused species. Feeds on seeds, espe- 

 cially those of the thistle. Song pleasing and varied ; heard from April 

 till towards the end of the Summer. Builds in orchards, gardens, and 

 plantations : nest placed in trees or shrubs, composed of moss and wool 

 with the addition of a few bents or lichens, and lined with wool, hair, and 

 thistle-down. Eggs four or five in number. Is rather a late breeder. 



98. F. Spinus, Linn. (Siskin.) Crown of the head, 

 and throat, black : nape dusky green : above and behind the 

 eye a broad yellow streak. 



F. Spinus, Temm. Man. dOrn. torn. i. p. 371. Siskin, Mont. Orn. 

 Diet, fy Supp. Selb. Illust. vol. i. p. 309. pi. 55. f. 6, 7. Bew. 

 Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 194. 



