SERIN FINCH. 83 



FBINGILLA SERINUS. 

 SEEIN FINCH. 



(PLATE 12.) 



Passer serinus, Briss. Orn. iii. p. 179 (1760). 



Fringilla serinus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 320 (176(3) ; et auctorum plurimorum 

 (Gmclin), (Latham), (TemmincK), (Gray), (Mutter), (Schkyel), (Degland), (Bree), 

 (Ehces $ Buckley), (Danford fy Harvie- Brown), (Brehm), (Homeyer), (Schalow), 

 (Blasim), (Reichenow), &c. 



Loxia serinus (Briss.), Scop. Ann. I. Hist. Nat. p. 140 (1769). 



Serinus hortulanus, Koch, Syst. baier. Zool. i. p. 229 (1816). 



Serinus flavescens, Gould, B. Eur. pi. 194 (1837). 



Pyirhula (Dryospiza) serinus (Briss.), Keys. u. Bias. Wirb. Eur. p. xli (1840). 



Pyrrhula serinus (Briss.), Deyland, Orn. Eur. i. p. 192 (1849). 



Crithagra serinus (Brits.), Hewjl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 647 (1871). 



Serinus luteolus, Homeyer, Journ. Orn. 1873, p. 223. 



The evidence in support of the opinion that the Serin is an accidental 

 visitor to our shores rests on no better foundation than that which can be 

 adduced in support of the claim of the Canary to be so considered. It is 

 said that a Serin was caught near Portsmouth in April 1852, another at 

 Taunton in 1866, and a third at Worthing in 1869; but by far the greater 

 number are those brought by the Brighton bird-catchers to Mr. Swaysland. 

 Rarely a year passes without two or three being thus obtained, although 

 it sometimes happens that none are caught for a couple of years. Some 

 ornithologists have supposed that these birds have escaped from confine- 

 ment, alleging that these captures have become much commoner since 

 the Serin was appreciated as a cage-bird in this country; whilst others 

 have doubted the good faith of both the captors and the vendors. 

 So many frauds have been attempted on collectors that scepticism has 

 become a virtue in ornithologists. In the present case, however, I see no 

 reason to doubt the veracity of those concerned, or to question the occa- 

 sional visits of the Serin to our islands. The wonders of Heligoland were 

 at first doubted by distinguished ornithologists : now we ask whether the 

 Serin has occurred on Heligoland, and finding that it has we accept the 

 fact as strong evidence of its having also occurred in this country. 



On the continent the range of the Serin is remarkably restricted, 

 being confined to Europe, west of Russia, and to North Africa. To the 

 north of France, Belgium, and the north of Germany the Serin is an acci- 

 dental visitor, as it is to the south of England. It breeds in Central and 

 Southern France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, South Germany, Austria, and 

 Turkey ; and in all these countries a few remain during the winter. In 

 Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor it is a resident, breeding 



