The Iliinalayan Sib-kitt. 27 
of peil'ec't adults, their size and form, I am sure tiiey would 
not hesitate to bring these birds to such perfection here. 
There arc no fanciers under the sun to comj^ai'e with when once 
they make up their minds to improve any species. I have 
only to name the Canary as an instance. Will our Jiiembers 
take up my suggestion now, and in a few years we shall have 
Blue Budgerigars that will bring joy to the heart of :iny bird 
lover. An additional advantage will 1)8 of havuig e-;tab- 
lished and domesticated a beautiful variety of Foreign birds 
that breed freely, need little attention, and thrive splendidly in 
captivity. As a further inducement, I am convinced such a 
pleasurable venture would also be highly profitable. As is 
well known, the present prices for these birds are high, and 
it will take years before they can be bred in such numljers 
to become common. I should be glad to hear of anyone 
interested. 
r-4 
Re Himalayan Siskin. 
By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., Etc. 
The Himalayan Siskin {Chrysomitrib spinoidfs) : Thia 
beautiful species is found throughout the Himalayas, and is a 
larger and more brightly coloured bird than the Europeant 
Siskin (C spinus). It is a bird of the woods, but is occasion- 
ally found in gardens in small parties. The nesting season 
is July and August, the nest is cup -shaped, constructed of 
grass, hair and moss, and is usually placed in the branch of 
a tree. The eggs are pale green speckled with black and the 
clutch usually numbers three. 
Oates, in his " P'auna of Brit. India" calls it the Hima- 
layan Greenfinch, and puts it in a separate genus, Hypa- 
canthis spinoides. 
Descrqjiion. Male. Above more or less g'l'eeiii^li olivaceoii.^- 
brown; foi'eliead variable according to ag-e, black, or blac-k anrl yellow, 
or nearly all yellow; crown, nape, ear -coverts and part of clieeks 
black tinged with green ; lores, sides of face, sides of neck, band 
across 'back of neck, rump, and the whole of the underpurts 
rich canary -yellow; the upper tail-coverts greenish -bl'own ; tail, 
two central feathers deep brown, the others more or less yellow ; wings 
dusky-black, greater -coverts tipped with yellow and the quills with a 
broad patch of yellow on the outer-webs, and tipped and margined 
with white; beak flesh-colour, dusky at tip; feet trownish flesh-colour; 
irides brown. Total length 5 inches, tail just under 2. 
