CARDUEL1S 275 



dull flesh ; iris dark brown. Cuhnen 0*5, wing 315, tail 2'1, tarsus 0'6 

 inch ; tail slightly forked. The female resembles the male but is duller 

 in colour and the lesser wing-coverts are brown. The young lack the red 

 on the head, are greyish brown above, have the quills tipped with brownish 

 buff and the chin and throat are white. 



Hob. Europe generally, chiefly resident : Scandinavia as far 

 north as the Trondhjem Fjord ; North Africa, Canaries, Madeira ; 

 Asia as far east as Krasnoyarsk ; wintering in Turkestan and 

 Africa. 



Frequents gardens, orchards, and groves, and is not a forest 

 bird but is frequently seen in the open country, especially in 

 the autumn and winter. In its general habits it is sprightly 

 and active, and being an incessant songster is a favourite 

 cage bird. It feeds chiefly on seeds, especially those of the 

 thistle and other weeds, but the young are generally fed on 

 insects. Its call-note is a sharp pick, pick, pickelmik, and its 

 song though agreeable is not so good as that of the Linnet. 

 It breeds in May, building a very neat cup-shaped nest of moss, 

 lichens, and fine roots carefully lined with plant-down and 

 horsehair, usually placed on a low tree or a bush. The eggs 4 

 to 5 in number are greenish white with faint reddish shell- 

 markings, and dark reddish brown blotches and streaks, which 

 are more numerous at, and often form a zone round, the larger 

 end. In size they average about 07 by 0'48. 



The Goldfinch is subject to some variation, the best known 

 being the white-chinned variety, or so-called " Cheverel " (cf. 

 Newton, I.e.). 



405. ASIATIC GOLDFINCH. 

 CARDUELIS CANICEPS. 



Carduelis caniceps, Vigors, P.Z.S. 1831, p. 23; Gould, Centr. HimaL 

 B. pi. 33, fig. 1 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 635 ; Gates, F. Brit. 

 Ind. Birds, ii. p. 225 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. p. 189 ; 

 Dresser, ix. p. 177, pi. 670 ; & orientalis (Eversm.) Add. Pall. 

 Zoogr. fasc. ii. p. 9 (1841) ; Gould, B. of Asia. v. pi. 17. 



Shira, Hindu. ; Saira, Kashm. ; 



<$ ad. (Siberia). Differs from C. elegans in having the upper parts 

 paler and greyer, in lacking the black on the head, the hind-crown and 

 nape being like the back in colour, and there is a broad white line 

 on the inner secondaries. Culraen 0'65, wing 3'3, tail 2 -2, tarsus 0'6- 

 inch. 



T 2 



