■ 25 



FRINGILLA SPINUS. 



Syst.- Nat. 322. 



THE SISKIN, OR ABERDA VINE. 



. PLATE XXV. 



X he bill is short, straight, sharp-pointed, and yellow, 

 except the tip, which is black. The eyes are a bright 

 brown, the eye-lids pale. Over each eye is a narrow white 

 line. The head and upper part of the neck are of a very 

 dark green, with a black spot down the middle of each 

 feather. 



The middle of the back is green, but less dark than 

 the head. The lower part of the back yellow-green. 

 The feathers in both having black strokes down their 

 shafts. 



The first quill feathers are dusky, having their outer 

 webs green. In the second quills, the lower half of 

 each feather is yellow, the upper green. The greater 

 and lesser coverts are dusky, with green edges. 



The throat, breast, and belly, are yellow-green ; 

 stronger towards the head, paler near the belly ; and 

 the feathers on the sides of the breast have dusky 

 coloured lines down their shafts. 



In the tail are twelve feathers ; the middle two are 

 black, with grey tips ; the upper half of all the rest are 

 of a bright yellow ; the lower half black, with grey tips. 



The feet and legs of a dark horn colour, the claws 

 black. 



The hen wants the dark colour on the head. The 

 yellows are dull and faint, and the breast and belly 

 paler and more spotted than in the cock. . 



