62 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



Siskin. Clanjsomitris sjJinus (Linn.). 

 [Aberdavine.] 



A -winter visitor of uncertain appearance. Small flocks sometimes 

 occur in severe seasons between Michaelmas and April in South Devon. 

 We have generally found them feeding on the seeds of alders amongst the 

 debris left by the sides of sti'eams after floods following heavy snow. They 

 are usually very tame and easily captured with a fishing-rod smeared with 

 bird-lime for a few inches at the top (if. W. 11. S., Zool. 1S40, p. 2'3bo) 

 or a hoop-net (F. ^y. L. It., Zool. 1845, p. 1191). 



Montagu saw a small floc-k in December 180.3 busy e\tracting seeds from the fruits 

 of the alder trees in the South ot Devon (Orn. Diet., Suppl.). Turton and Kmgston 

 say that it i.s " a visitor Ibund occasionally in the neighbourhood of Ashburtou, and 

 Cuckwocjd. near Starcross. Three specimens were caught in the summer of 1828 in the 

 marshes near Xewton." It is rare near Plymouth. In the autumn of 183(i five were 

 caught in a trap in the lines at Devonport (E. M., Trans. Plym. Inst. 1830, p. 312 ; 

 Mag. Xat. Hist. n. s. 1S.">7, p. 176 ; Rowe's Peramb. Dartmoor, p. 232). A few 

 were seen near Plymouth in December 184."> and January 184(i. A large flock 

 December 1847 and" February 1848 (R. A. J , 'Naturalist,' 18.51, p. 44). One killed in 

 February 18.")3 was the only specimen Mr. Bolitho had sent to him in twenty-one years, 

 18.")2-72. Some seen under the Hoe, February 1^70. Large flocks on the alder 

 bushes by sides of the Plym, December 17th, 1874, and some March 2Uth, 1875. Young 

 ones were taken with Goldfinches, September 24th, 1880 ; and a flock of thirty or forty 

 were seen on the Larchis in Bickleigh Vale, but their stomachs were full of insects 

 (J. G., MS. Notes, and Zool. 187.5, pp. 4:371, 44.50; 1880, p. 249 ; 1881, p. 51). 



It has only been met with a few times near Kingsbridge. In December 1878 a flock 

 of about thirtv were seen, and some about 1880, and in February 1880 (H. ZS'. and 

 E. P. N., MS. Notes). 



It is ven- unusual near Torquay. A pair seen there January loth, 1870 (Yon H., 

 Zool. 1870," p. 20.59). 



It has frequently appeared in the Exeter district. Flocks occurred in 184.5 

 (F. W. L. R.) and it was very numerous in the winter of 1848-9 (W. R. S., I. c). 

 We met with su.all flocks near Topsham in 1852-3, February 1855, November 1802, 

 February 1803, and January 18(j(). 



Considering what a common bird the Siskin is all round Taunton in the 

 winter mouths it is singular that it should be very rarely met with in Xorth 

 Devon, where we know of onlj' one or two instances of its occurrence. 

 In our collection we had one which was secured near Barnstaple. AVhen 

 we resided at Bishop's Lydeard, a Kttle to the west of Taunton, we often had 

 Siskins in our garden, and one day when we had a cage containing some 

 tame Siskins hanging near an open window a small flock actually came 

 into the room to pay our birds a visit. The Siskin makes a delightful cage- 

 bird, being very easily tamed, and may be taught some amusing tricks. 

 We know of no instance of its having nested in Devonshire, but iu the 

 neighbouring county of Dorset it seems probable that it does so occasionally. 

 We have heard of mules between a cock Siskin and a hen Canary. 



{Observation. — An example of the Serin (Serimis hortulanus), a Finch closely allied 

 to the Canary, and which has been obtained about a dozen times in the east of England, 

 occurred at Taunton, Somerset, in January 1800.] 



