The Goldfinch 



finch," which is seldom or never imported, lacks the black on 

 the head. Length 5 in. ; wing 3 in. Many of the Gold- 

 finches sold by dealers as Bussian and Siberian are merely 

 large fine birds of our native species, probably imported 

 from abroad. 



There are various varieties known to dealers as cheverels, 

 bastard cheverels, pea-throat, etc., which differ from the 

 usual form in having the throat white or partially so. They 

 sometimes command a higher price, as they are said to have 

 a finer song, but this is by no means necessarily the case. 



THE SISKIN 



Carduelis spin us (Linnaeus) 



Though nearly allied to the Goldfinch, this bird is very 

 different in appearance, being much smaller and of a 

 yellowish green with black markings. Scotland is its chief 

 home, where it lives among the fir-trees, making excursions 

 daily into the open country to seek its food. In winter it 

 wanders through our islands, but is never very abundant and 

 always irregular in its visits. It has occasionally nested in 

 fir plantations in the South of England, but it is only in the 

 north-east corner of Scotland that it may be considered a 

 common breeding species. The nest is placed near the top 

 of a fir-tree or at the end of a lateral branch at some 

 distance from the ground. The materials are similar to 

 those used by the Goldfinch, and the eggs also bear a close 

 resemblance to those of that species, but are slightly smaller. 



119 



