SEEIN. 



FRIN GILL A SERINUS, Linn. 



Fringilla serinus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 320 (1766) ; Naum. v. 

 p. 114. 



Serinus hortulanus, Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. Ill; Dresser, iii. 

 p. 549. 



Serin, French ; Girlitz, German ; Chamariz, Verdecillo, 

 Spanish. 



This little Finch, which is common in many parts of 

 the continent of Europe, has been admitted into the 

 British list on the strength of about a dozen occurrences 

 recorded from Hants, Sussex, Middlesex, Somerset, and 

 Norfolk. Mr. Howard Saunders, from whom I quote, 

 considers that although the Serin is a common cage- 

 bird abroad, and likely to be imported, the probability 

 is in favour of the supposition that some, at all events, 

 of these birds visited our country of their own free 

 will ; and as I share this opinion I give a figure of the 

 species. 



The Serin is exceedingly common in Southern and 

 Central Spain, and in general habits somewhat re- 

 sembles the Goldfinch ; the nest, however, is composed 

 of different materials, and the song consists of a sharp 

 sibilant murmur, much inferior to the pleasant notes of 

 that bird. 



