THE SEED* PINCH, 195 



all greenish yellow. The back of the head, cheeks, and lesser 

 wing coverts are Siskin green and reddish grey, mixed with 

 blackish spots. The two larger rows of coverts are blackish, 

 the upper having a margin of bright yellow, the lower of red- 

 dish yellow, which produce the appearance of a double yellow 

 stripe across the wings. The pen feathers are blackish, edged 

 with Siskin green ; the tail is somewhat forked, and of similar 

 hue. The spots with which the plumage is covered are not 

 distinct one from the other, but unite in a sort of longitudinal 

 stripe. On the head they are very small, but on the sides and 

 rump their shape and colour are more visibly marked. 



The female can with difficulty be distinguished from the female 

 Siskin. The colour of the plumage is the same, except that 

 it has a tinge of reddish grey, but the beak is shorter, the tail 

 longer, and the body more slender. The principal difference 

 between the female and male is, that in the former the yellow- 

 ish green breast is striped with black. 



Observations. The Serin Finch, which some are disposed to 

 consider identical with the Citron Finch, may in spring or 

 autumn be lured either to the barn-floor or decoy trap. In 

 Thuringia this is the usual mode of taking them. 



For the remaining part of this article I am indebted to my 

 friend Dr. MEYEK, of Offenbach : 



" Of all Cage-birds with which I am acquainted, the Serin 

 Finch is one of the liveliest and most indefatigable in singing. 

 Its voice, though not strong, is sweet ; and, except a few pas- 

 sages in which it resembles the song of the Lark, is remarkably 

 like that of the Canary bird. In a wild state it sings inces- 

 santly, either perched on the topmost branches of some tree, 

 or rising and falling in the air like a Lark, or flying from one 

 tree to another. Its call, too, is like that of the Canary, to 

 which bird, indeed, it bears, in habits and peculiarities, a strong 

 general resemblance. 



"Habitat. It is now thirty years since the Serins were first 

 observed in the district between Offenbach and Frankfort. 

 They arrive every year in March, in large flocks, and depart 

 about the end of October, although there are always some 

 which remain throughout the winter. In January, 1800, when 

 the thermometer was at 21 Keaumur, several were taken here, 

 and I have seen them in the neighbourhood of Offenbach as 

 late as the end of February. They may most frequently be 



o 2 



