SERINUS CANONICUS. 
(TRISTRAM’S SERIN.) 
Serinus aurifrons, Tristram, P. Z. 8. 1864, p. 447, nec Blyth. 
Figura unica. 
Tristram, Ibis, 1868, pl. vii. ad. et juv. 
g ad. fronte et pileo frontali aureo-flavis, pileo postico et collo postico cum dorso et scapularibus flavis fusco 
striatis, collari flavissimo : uropygio et supracaudalibus flavis vix griseo tinctis: remigibus nigro-fuscis, 
extus leté flavo marginatis, tectricibus alarum eodem colore conspicué terminatis: rectricibus nigro- 
fuscis, in pogonio externo fere omnino flavis et in pogonio interno conspicué albido marginatis: capite 
laterali pallidé griseo: corpore subtts flavo, abdomine et subcaudalibus albidis: rostro, pedibus et iride 
ut in S. hortulano picturatis. 
2 ad. mari similis sed pallidiore et sordidiore. 
Juv. adulto similis sed rufescente nec fronte flava. 
Adult Male (Hermon). Differs appreciably from Serinus hortulanus chiefly in being much paler and 
yellower, the underparts unstriated, and in being larger in size; forehead, fore part of the crown, 
and a collar on the hind neck golden yellow; upper parts generally yellow; the hind crown, nape, 
back, and scapulars striped with dull blackish brown, these stripes being not strongly defined ; rump 
and upper tail-coverts yellow with a greyish tinge; quills blackish brown, externally margined with 
bright yellow, the wing-coverts very broadly terminated with this colour; tail blackish brown, the 
feathers with the outer web almost entirely yellow, the inner web broadly bordered with dull white ; 
cheeks dull greyish brown; underparts bright yellow, unstriped on the abdomen, and under tail-coverts 
fading to dull white; bill, iris, and legs as in Serinus hortulanus. Total length about 5:15 inches, 
culmen 0:4, wing 3:0, tail 2:4, tarsus 0:6. 
Adult Female (Lebanon). Resembles the male, but is paler and somewhat duller in colour. 
Young of the year. Differs from the adult in having the yellow colour replaced by rich russet; and the 
golden-yellow forehead is also wanting. 
AurHoucH this beautiful Serin Finch does not appear to be at all uncommon in Palestine, yet it 
is, comparatively speaking, but little known: and its range is very restricted; for I can find no 
record of its occurrence elsewhere. Canon Tristram, who was the first to recognize it as a 
distinct species, and describe it, gives (Ibis, 1868, p. 207) the following information respecting 
it, which is, in fact, all that appears to have been published concerning this species. He says, 
“jt is rather plentiful in the higher regions both of Lebanon and Hermon, not descending, 
however, lower than 4000 feet above the sea, and a permanent resident... .. Our first acquaint- 
ance with this pretty little bird was in the pear-orchards above Rashiey, on the north side of 
C2 
DOO 
