CHRYSOMITRIS 277 



Tarin, French ; Lugne, Portug. ; Lugano, Span. ; Lucarino, 

 Ital. ; Zeisig, German ; Sijsfe, Dutch ; Gronsidsken, Dan. ; Sisik, 

 Norw. ; Gronsiska, Swed. ; Viheriavarpunen, Finn. ; Tschij, 

 Russ. 



ad. (Scotland). Upper parts dull yellowish green streaked with 

 blackish brown ; upper tail-coverts yellow except those nearest the tail 

 which are greenish ; crown, chin, and lores black ; wings black, the quills 

 margined and the wing-coverts tipped with yellow ; tail-feathers yellow 

 at the base and on the inner webs, the middle pair nearly all black, all the 

 rest black towards the tips ; sides of the head, supercilium, throat, and 

 breast yellow ; rest of the under parts dull white, streaked with blackish, 

 the lower breast washe'd with yellow, the flanks with grey ; bill dark 

 brown, pale fleshy at the base ; legs dull brown ; iris dark brown. 

 Gulmen 0'45, wing 2'8, tail 1'85, tarsus 0'5 inch. The female is duller in 

 colour, the black on the crown and throat are wanting. 



Hob. Europe, as far north as, but rare in, southern Lapland ; 

 Asia as far east as Japan, ranging south through Manchuria 

 to China, but not so far as India ; of somewhat rare occurrence 

 in N.W. Africa in winter. 



Frequents woods, chiefly those of conifers, and affects hilly 

 localities. In its habits it is sprightly and lively but not shy. 

 In winter it frequents groves, gardens, and fields, and is then 

 seen in large flocks. Its food consists of seeds, especially those 

 of conifers, and of various weeds, but the young when in the 

 nest are fed with insects. Its call-note is a loud deedel, or 

 deedlee, and its song, a succession of twittering notes, though 

 not loud, is fairly melodious. It breeds from April to June, 

 placing its nest on a conifer tree, often at a considerable 

 altitude, but sometimes on a bush, always well concealed. The 

 nest is neat, cup-shaped, constructed of grass-bents, fine twigs, 

 rootlets, and moss, carefully lined with plant-cotton, and 

 occasionally a few feathers. The eggs 4 to 5, sometimes 6 in 

 number, are pale sea-green spotted with pale red, the markings 

 being usually more profuse at the larger end, and in size 

 average about 0'68 by 0'48. 



408. HIMALAYAN SISKIN. 

 CHRYSOMITRIS SPINOIDES. 



Chyrsomitris spinoides (Vigors), P.Z.S. 1831, p. 44 ; (Gould), Cent, 

 Him. B. pi. 33, fig. 2 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. p. 201 ; 

 (Gates) F. Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 231. 



