2 
shaft-stripes ; an indistinct ochreous grey stripe over the eye; sides of the head, neck, and upper breast 
ochreous grey, on the fore part of the face and throat tinged with pale yellow; lower breast pale 
yellowish, fading into white on the abdomen; flanks and crissum yellowish grey ; rectrices blackish, 
on the underside broadly margined with greenish yellow, and on the upper with yellowish grey; wings 
crossed by two bars, the larger and smaller coverts being tipped with yellowish grey; quills blackish, 
edged with greenish grey; shoulders and some of the smaller wing-coverts pale yellowish green; iris 
blackish brown ; bill horn-colour, the under mandible paler; legs blackish brown. The entire plumage 
is in general blurry in coloration, more so than in the nestling of the Siskin. 
Obs. According to Dr. Bolle the male in the first year after its birth wears a plumage closely resembling 
that of the female, and the full adult plumage, as described above, is not obtained until its second year. 
Tuis, the original stock from which the tame Canary, so commonly known as a cage-bird, has 
sprung, is a smaller bird than its caged relative, and in general plumage much resembles the 
Serin Finch. It is found only in the Canaries, Madeira, and the Azores, where it is common in 
suitable localities. Dr. Bolle says that it inhabits the Canaries, as a constant breeding-resident, 
only as far as about the Peak of Teneriffe, and it is not found nesting even on the eastern side of 
Gran Canaria. Fuertaventura and Lanzarote are too bare of trees and water to permit of its 
breeding there; but in winter flocks sometimes straggle as far as these places and Gran Canaria. 
On the west side of the fruitful island of Gran Canaria it is generally found inhabiting the 
*‘pinal” or pine-woods. It is said to be common near the town of Teror and the Montafia de 
Doramas; but it is, on the whole, rarer in Canaria than in Teneriffe, and only scattered pairs are 
found on the eastern spurs of the mountains. It is common in Madeira; and numbers are to be 
seen in the gardens of Funchal; but it does not appear to be known whether wild Canaries are 
found on the island of Porto Santo. Dr. Bolle says that, as this island is so bare and dry, he 
doubts if the present species occurs there. Mr. F. D. Godman says (Nat. Hist. Az. p. 29) that 
it is ‘found in abundance throughout the Azores. It frequents the cultivated lands, where it 
feeds on the seedcrops, and is especially destructive to the flax. From its well-known powers of 
song it is often caught and tamed, a great many being sold on board vessels which touch at the 
islands for provisions. In Fayal these birds congregate towards evening in considerable numbers 
about a small hill near Horta, and fly across in a body to the island of Pico; for what reason I do 
not know, as there is no want of trees in the neighbourhood.” Dr. Carl Bolle has published 
(J. f. O. 1858, pp. 125-151) a most exhaustive history of this bird, from which I extract the 
following particulars respecting its habits &c. It frequents, he says, the southern portions of 
the islands, and places where the temperature is not variable. It is usually found on the western 
mountainous portions of the islands, where there is an abundant tree-growth, and where the sea- 
winds make the atmosphere slightly damp. On Teneriffe, Palma, Gomera, and Ferro it is 
numerous, and is usually found where the thickets are not too dense. It breeds usually near 
water, but not exclusively. In the Canaries there are no regular rivers, but there are small 
mountain-streamlets, which, during the wet season, flow swiftly down into the valleys, and thence 
to the sea; but in the summer and autumn these brooks are so small that they gradually dis- 
appear as they reach the valleys, and form only damp spots here and there in the dry country. 
Near these the Canary breeds, but also in localities far from any running water, though only in 
