THE GOLDFINCHES. 39 



the greater part of Europe to Central Siberia and Central 

 Asia, while the grey-headed Goldfinch (C. caniceps) is found in 

 the Himalayas, and extends to Eastern and Central Siberia and 

 Central Asia. In Siberia C. caniceps interbreeds with the 

 ordinary Goldfinch, or rather with the larger and whiter race 

 which occurs in Eastern Europe and Siberia, and which has 

 been called C. major by Russian naturalists. 



THE GOLDFINCH. CARDUELIS CARDUELIS. 



(Plate VIII.} 



Frinilla carduelis, Linn., S. N., i., p. 318 (1766). 

 Carduelis degans, Macg., Br. B., i., p. 393 (1837); Newt. ed. 

 Yarr., ii., p. 117 (1877) ; Dresser, B. Eur., in., p. 527, pi. 

 166 (1877); B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 47 (1883) ; Saunders, 

 Man., p. 165 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. xv. 

 (1890). 

 Carduelis carduelis, Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus., xii., p. 185 (1888). 



Adult Male. Above pale chocolate-brown ; greater wing- 

 coverts golden yellow ; quills black, tipped with white, the 

 base of the primaries golden yellow, forming a conspicuous 

 patch ; crown of head and a band behind the ear-coverts black ; 

 forehead crimson ; bill rosy whitish, with the tip black ; feet 

 fleshy brown; iris brown. Total length, 5*2 inches; oilmen, 

 0-55 ; wing, 3-2 ; tail, 1-85 ; tarsus, o'6. 



Sexes alike in plumage. 



Young. Light brown, with no red on the face ; underneath 

 white, washed with brown on the fore-neck, breast, and sides of 

 body, all of which are spotted with blackish. 



Range in Great Britain. Generally distributed, but now local 

 where once it was common. In many parts of the north, and in 

 Scotland, it is only an accidental visitor. Local in Ireland. 



Range outside the British Islands. Europe generally, occurring 

 in Scandinavia to lat. 65 and in the Ural Mountains to lat. 

 60. The exact limit between the range of our Goldfinch and 

 of the larger Eastern race (C. major) has not yet been accu- 

 rately determined. 



Habits. The Goldfinch is essentially a bird of the country, 

 and has in many of the southern counties been driven away by 



