57- S/l/16-550. 
ANNALS OF THE TRANSVAAL MUSEUM 
Supplement to Vol. V, No. 3. 
A NEW SISKIN FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 
(Read before the Transvaal Biological Society, 14th December, 1915.); 
By Austin Roberts. 
Amongst some birds recently sent for identification to the Transvaal 
Museum by Mr. R. E. Symons, Superintendent of the Giant’s Castle Game 
Reserve, were two specimens of a very distinct new species of Siskin. 
Upon being informed of the fact, Mr. Symons was kind enough to present 
this pair, two more pairs, and a clutch of eggs of this bird to the Museum, 
and I have therefore great pleasure in identifying the discovery with his 
name : 
Sirinus symonsi , spec. nov. 
Preliminary description . — Most closely allied to S. tottus of the Cape 
Province, but differing greatly therefrom in the absence of white tips to^ 
the wing and all but the two outermost pairs of tail feathers ; the two 
outermost tail feathers have a white, wedge-shaped mark on the inner 
web, for the terminal two-thirds in the outermost and for a lesser extent 
on the penultimate pair, in both cases broadest at the tip ; the general 
coloration also duller, and in size larger than S. tottus. 
The type (<£) and series were obtained in the Sanqabetu Valley, 
Basutoland, but, according ! o Mr. Symons, the species also occurs at certain 
seasons on the Natal side of the Drakensberg as well. The females are 
hardly if at all smaller than the males ; the type measures : wing 76,. 
tail 57, tarsus 15, culinen 11 mm. 
