THE SERIN. 71 



broods are usually reared fresh eggs may be found until July. 

 Incubation. Lasts to 14th day ; chiefly performed by hen, cock 

 only relieving for short periods. 



FOOD. Mainly seeds of weeds, but also of flax, hemp, turnip, 

 and rape, some insects, and according to Saunders, berries and 

 oats in winter. 



DISTRIBUTION. British Isles. Resident. Common and widely 

 distributed, but uncommon and local in west Scotland and 

 I. Hebrides ; rare vagrant 0. Hebrides and apparently so Shet- 

 lands ; recorded several times Fair Isle and common nester and 

 migrant Orkneys. 



MIGRATIONS. British Isles. A proportion of our home-bred birds 

 move south autumn, many crossing Channel, third week Sept. to 

 end Oct., occasionally from Sept 1, and returning spring, third 

 week March to mid- April. Large numbers of Continental immi- 

 grants arrive east coasts Great Britain autumn, mid-Sept, to end 

 Oct., occasionally to third week Nov., and return spring, mid- 

 March to third week April, extremes March 5 to May 8. 

 Occasional records of passage-movements west coast Lights 

 latter half of Sept. Frequently observed as immigrant on 

 Irish coasts both spring and autumn, but movements not 

 clearly worked out. 



DISTRIBUTION. Abroad. Europe generally, except in the high 

 north. Replaced by allied forms in Mediterranean countries and 

 Atlantic isles, and in parts cf west Asia. 



Genus SERINUS Koch. 



SERIKUS Koch, Syst. d. baier, Zool., p. 228 (1816 Type S. hortulanus = 

 serinus, monotypy and tautonymy). 



Small. Bill very short and thick, as if swollen, culmen 

 distinctly curved. Tail deeply emarginated. Wing fairly long 

 and 2nd to 4th primaries about equal and longest. Plumage 

 Siskin-like in coloration. Many species in Africa ; one only in 

 Europe, and two in Asia. 



SERINUS CANARIUS 



28. Serinus canarius serinus (L.) THE SERIN. 



FRINGILLA SERINUS Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. xn, i, p. 320 (1766 

 " Habitat in Europa Australi." Based on Gesner, Aldrovandi, and 

 Brisson. Restricted typical locality, Switzerland, where Gesner lived). 

 Serinus hortulanus K. L. Koch, Yarrell, IT, p. Ill ; Saunders, p. 177. 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male. Winter. Fore - part of crown, eye- 

 stripe, and hind-neck yellow much concealed by long greyish-green 



