382 SERINU8 



head being apple-green finely striped with blackish brown ; rump apple- 

 green with scarcely perceptible stripes ; under parts golden yellow 

 fading to whitish on the lower abdomen and under tail-coverts, the flanks 

 only striped with dull blackish brown ; bill and legs fleshy brown ; iris 

 brown. Culmen 0'38, wing 2 9, tail 2'55, tarsus 0*72 inch. The female 

 has much less greenish yellow in the plumage, the crown is grey striped 

 with blackish, slightly tinged with apple-green, and the under parts buffy 

 white washed with apple-yellow on the throat, breast, and middle of the 

 abdomen. 



Hob. The Canaries, Azores, and Madeira ; has occurred in 

 England, but specimens obtained were probably escaped cage- 

 birds. 



In general habits it resembles the Serin and frequents 

 wooded districts, especially pine-woods, vineyards, and gardens. 

 Its flight resembles that of the Linnet, and the bird flies 

 from tree to tree at no great altitude. Its food consists of 

 seeds of various kinds, tender shoots of plants, and fruit, 

 -especially figs. It is generally found near water, that being a 

 necessity to this species. Its song resembles that of its caged 

 descendants but is scarcely so rich. It is a resident passing 

 the winter at lower altitudes than in the summer. Nidification 

 commences in March and the nest is placed in a tree, seldom 

 less than 8 feet from the ground and carefully concealed. It 

 is neatly constructed of dry grass-stems, plant-cotton, and moss. 

 The eggs, from 4 to 5 in number, are pale sea-green or pale 

 blue spotted and marked with reddish brown, and measure 

 about 0*77 by 0'54. Three and even four broods are said to be 

 reared in a season. 



415. RED-FRONTED FINCH. 

 SERINUS PUSILLUS. 



Serinus pusillus (Pall.), Zoogr. Ross. -As. ii. p. 18, Tab. xliii. (1811); 

 Dresser, iii. p. 561, pi. 173 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. p. 373 ; 

 (Gates) F. Brit. Ind. Birds, ii. p. 230 ; S. anrifrons (Blyth), J.A.S. 

 Beng. xvi. p. 476 (1847). 



Malinovka, Buss. 



(J ad. (Asia Minor). Forehead and fore-crown bright flame red, the 

 rest of the head and entire throat to the upper breast black, the hind 

 crown washed with brown ; upper parts, wings, and tail black, the 

 feathers margined with buffy white or pale yellow ; rump bright orange ; 

 under parts pale yellow fading into yellowish white on the under tail- 

 coverts, and striped with black ; bill and legs black ; iris dark brown. 



