2 
ABERDEVINE. 
portion. Size of the reclpole, ( Fringilla linaria^) or between that 
and the linnet. Length rather more than five inches ; bill reddish- 
white, tipped with blackish -brown ; eyes, umber-brown ; head, greenish- 
black ; over each eye a pale streak of dingy primrose-yellow ; neck, 
back, wings, and tail, oil-green ; paler, and more yellow, on the 
lower parts of the back towards the tail-coverts. The feathers of the 
back and wings are streaked down the middle with a tint formed of 
blackish-green and hair-brown ; sides of the head, throat, breast, and 
under parts, pale wax-yellow, inchning to sulphur-yellow ; middle of 
the parts below the breast very pale wine-yellow, passing into white ; 
across each wing are two bands of primrose-yellow, and between them 
one of black ; part of the quills and tail edged with pale gamboge- 
yellow ; legs and feet pale flesh-red. The head of the female is of a 
brownish-colour, inclining to grey where the male is black ; cheeks 
and sides of the neck siskin green or oil green ; and all the rest of her 
plumage is of a more dingy colour than in the male. 
Siskins, says Syme, though not equal to canaries as song-birds, 
yet bring as high prices, because bird-fanciers are always anxious to 
possess them, for the purpose of pairing them with canaries. They 
are healthy, mild, and docile birds ; and when paired with canaries, 
their progeny generally inherit the same good qualities, and therefore 
they are highly prized by amateurs. Besides, no other bird pairs 
so readily with the canary ; whether it be the hen siskin with the 
cock canary, or the cock siskin with the hen canary, the male and 
female of each species pair equally well. This is not the case with 
the goldfinch, chaffinch, or linnet : it is only the males of these birds 
that pair with the hen canary : and this leads Mr. Syme to think, that, 
if the siskin is not the wild canary, or stock-bird, it is a species that 
approaches so close to it as almost to appear only a marked or distinct 
variety. These birds are common in Europe, though rather rare with 
us, and said to be only winter visitors. Their true habitation appears 
to be the North of Europe. 
Montagu, in his Supplement, says, that, in the month of December, 
1805, a small flock of these birds were seen, busy in extracting the 
seed from the alder trees in the south of Devon ; several of which 
were shot. The weather was severe, and a heavy fall of snow suc- 
ceeded. Bewick tells us, that one, which he kept many years in a 
cage, had a pleasing and sweetly-varied song, and that it imitated the 
notes of other birds : it was caught on the banks of the Tyne. About 
London, the Siskin is called the Aberdevine by bird-catchers, who 
occasionally take a few of these birds. In all places they are migratory. 
