BRITISH BIRDS. 69 



Family Fring-illidae. 

 Sub-Family Fring-illinae. 



GENUS XXXV. CARDUELIS, Brisson (1760). 

 Bill moderately short, nearly conical, slightly compressed. 

 Nostrils concealed by recurved feathers. Wings rather 

 long, ist primary obsolete, 2nd longest. Tail moderate, 

 slightly forked. Tarsus rather short ; claws moderate, not 

 much curved. 



84. Carduelis elegans, Stephens. GOLDFINCH. 



Hab. Europe, north to Southern Scandinavia ; also 

 N. Africa, Madeira and Persia. 



Male : lores black ; forehead, forepart of cheeks, and 

 upper throat crimson ; remainder of cheeks and lower 

 throat white, bordered above and behind by the black of 

 crown and sides of nape, centre of latter being whitish ; 

 back brown ; upper tail-coverts chiefly white ; wings 

 black, quills banded with bright yellow and tipped with 

 white ; tail black, tipped with dull white, three outer 

 feathers each side having oblong white central patches ; 

 breast and sides brownish-yellow ; belly white ; bill 

 yellowish-white, tip blackish ; tarsi pale brownish-yellow. 

 Length 5 *oo. Female rather duller. Young : red and black 

 of head are replaced by greyish-brown. 



Breeds sparingly in every part of British Isles, although 

 constant persecution has caused it to become rare in 

 many localities. Nest : placed in hedges or in the fork of 

 a tree in orchards and gardens ; somewhat slighter than 

 the Chaffinch's and composed of moss, spiders' cocoons 

 and grass-stalks, lined with plant-down, hair and feathers. 

 Eggs : 4 or 5 ; pale greyish-blue, rather glossy, and 

 spotted and streaked sparingly with dark red brown and 



