212 The Zoologist— May, 1866. 



November 6. Wind N. A male blackcap warbler in the garden. 

 „ 8. „ N. A female moorhen shot (the, only one 



seen this winter). 

 „ 11. „ N.W. Most of the redwings and greenfinches 



left. 

 „ 15. „ S.W. A coot shot (the only one seen this 



winter). 



Siskin. — The two siskins mentioned in my last* communication 

 (S. S. 66) were both males. After .shooting them I managed to obtain 

 some very close views of the remainder of the flock. Some individuals 

 were rather brilHautly tinged with yellow and deeply marked with 

 black, but others had scarcely any yellow, and as far as could be 

 ascertained were without black upon the head. They all kept mostly 

 to the outer branches of the trees, evidently preferring the sycamores, 

 but for what reason 1 knew not until I discovered that their food 

 consisted entirely of the A))hides vviiich so infest that species. The 

 whole flock was almost constantly in motion, and so eagerly did they 

 pursue their employment that it was diflicult to confine my observations 

 to any one member of it for more than half a minute at a time. Their 

 mode of conducting their search for food instantly called to mind the 

 once familiar blue titmouse — a bird which I have scarcely even seen 

 during the last ten years. Like it they seemed fond of swiuj^ing head 

 downwards from a leaf stalk or a slender twig. Having vainly 

 searched Macgillivray, Morris and Yarrell for a full description of the 

 siskin in winter plumage, I venture to offer one taken from my own 

 specimens. 



Whole length . . - . 



Wing Iroin carpal joint lo tip 

 Bill from trout to lip - - - 



Tarsus - . . - - 



Middle toe and its claw ... 



Se.v male. 



Bill dull lead, darkest at the point ; under mandible paler than the 

 upper one. Iris dark broAvu. 



Head and Upper Surface. — Lore, crown and forehead shining 

 black, most of the feathers very narrowly edged with pale greenish 

 gray; the black upon the crown separated from the eye by a narrow 

 streak of dull yellow ; sides of the head and nape of the neck yellow 

 mottled with dusky gray, but in the latter situation the yellow is fainter; 



