CITRIL FINCH. 
Carduelis Citrinella. 
Le Gros-bec venturon. 
In its lengthened and conical bill, the Citril Finch offers a strict alliance to the beautiful Goldfinch so common 
in our island, whilst in the olive-yellow colouring of its plumage it is in close affinity with the Siskin or 
Aberdevine, and, as far as we have been able to ascertain its habits and manners, corresponds more with the 
latter than the former. Like the other members of its family, it is said to be a fine songster. It has never 
yet been seen wild in England or in the North of Europe; appears to be scarce in the central parts of 
France, and the southern portions of Germany; is more common in Switzerland and the Tyrol; and is very 
abundant in Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Spain: in all these countries it evinces a partiality to the high and 
mountainous districts covered with larch and fir, on the branches of which it builds its nest. It is said to 
lay four or five eggs, of a whitish colour, marked with numerous blotches of brown of various sizes. Its food 
consists of the seeds of the various plants that grow in alpine regions. Like most species of this genus the 
sexes of the Citril Finch offer but a slight difference in the colouring of their plumage. 
The male has the face, crown of the head, throat and under surface greenish yellow inclining to olive; the 
occiput and back part of the neck grey; the rump, scapularies, and a bar across the wings, fine yellow with 
a tinge of green; the primaries, secondaries, and tail-feathers blackish brown, each feather being edged with 
greyish olive; legs brown; irides hazel. 
The female is rather less in size, and her colours are not so vivid as in the male, particularly on the 
throat and under surface, which parts are grey instead of greenish yellow. 
The Plate represents a male and female of the natural size. 
