Serin Finch.
Fringilla serinus, Lina. Syst. Nat., tom,, i. p. 320.
Serinus meridionaUs, Brelim, Vog. Deutschl., p. 25.5.
Pyrrhula (Dryospizu) serinus, Keys, et Bias. Wirbelth. Eur., p. 41.
Serinus jlavescens, Gould, Birds o f Eur., vol. in. pi. 195.
Pyrrhula serinus, Degl;
Dryospiza serinus, Cab. in Ersch uud Gruber’s Euey., p. 217.
Serinus islandieus, Bonap.
hortulanus, Koch, Syst. Baier. Zool., p. 229.
So many instances of the occurrence of the Serin Finch in England have now been recorded in ' The Ibis,
the ‘ Zoologist/ and other journals, that I cannot refrain from including it amoug our accidental visitors.
It is not a regular migrant; yet I snspect that its visits to the southern parts of our island have been far
more frequent than is generally imagined, but that it had previously escaped detection, or been mistaken
for its near ally the Siskin, which it greatly resembles, especially when seen among trees.
The first notice of its occurrence in England was forwarded to the ‘ Zoologist, in 1860, by Mr. Bond,
who states that it was caught at Brighton, in a clap-net, on the 20th of June, 1859. In some notes kindly
communicated to me by this gentleman, he says:—“ I saw auother fine male, which had been captured near
London, in the autumn of the same year. I also heard of two others having been taken iiedr London.” ,
In ‘ The Ibis ’ for 1861, Mr. George Dawson Rowley mentions that three specimens had been caught near
Brighton, and cast aside from ignorance of their value, the bird having beeu previously supposed to be a
mule of some kind escaped from confinement. In ‘The Ibis’ for 1866, this gentleman records another
example, which had been sent to Mr. Swayslaad, of Brighton, to be mouuted, by Mr. Henry Byne, who, in
reply to some inquiries respecting it, stated that it was killed in the last week of January, 1866, by William
Goreti, Esq., in a small garden surrounded by trees, in Bridge Street, North Town, Taunton. Mr. Byne, in
whose possession this specimen remains, kindly sent ifeup for my inspecffen; and I can therefore testify that
it is a veritable Serin Finch. In the ‘ Zoologist ’ for 1869. is a notice copied from the ‘ Field,’ that “ a very
fine example of this rare English visitant was shot at Worthing, on the 4th of May ” of that year; and in
the ‘ Zoologist ’ for 1870 Mr. Bond s a y s “ I have seen a fine specimen, killed in April 1869. There
have now been so many examples taken in this country that I think we should consider it a British bird.
Those who may wish to become minutely acquainted with the habits and economy of this charming little
songster, must refer to the works of the various Continental ornithologists; but as these are not always
accessible, I cannot perhaps do better than transcribe, nearly in his own words, the interesting account
(derived from these and other sources) published by my friend Dr. Bree in his ‘ History of the Birds of
Europe not observed in the British Isles.’
“ The Serin Finch is found plentifully in Spain, the south of France, in ludy, and the neighbouring part of
Switzerland, in Central Germauy, the north of France, and in Holland, more rarely m the south and southwest
of Germany, but not iu the northern part of that country. According to Faber, it has been killed
between 66° and 67° N. lat. It has been found in thc-Hartz Mountains, and is often seen in Thunngia. It
is an autumn visitor at Malta, is common in Sicily, and very numerous in Smyrna. It is said to be pleutiful
in the neighbourhood of Heidelberg and Offenbach, but to be rare in the intermediate country. It is very
common iu Greece, is ¡»chided amoug the birds of Algeria, and is stated to be numerous about the ohve-
groves of Sousa, in the neighbourhood of Tunis, but rare in the more elevated and mountainous parts of
the Eastern Atlas. . .. , . * i
“ The Serin Finch is generally a migratory bird, quitting its summer- and breeding-ground in October,
and returning the following March ; but in the mild climate of the Rhine it is said to remain all the year
round. , .
“ It lives most frequently in fruit-gardens, orchards or avenues of walnut- or nut-trees, an vine
and loves to dwell among willows and alders, on the banks of brooks and rivers as well as in garden-trees.
In the middle of villages or near buildings. Wherever it may be, it makes .taejf known by - - « ess
habits, and by its custom of always singing on the summit of the tree-tops, from which it
to the roofs of buildings. Id autumn it ¡8 more retiring, but remains long on the thick tree-tops.
■ f o o d principally on the ground, never very far from trees and
In its movements it is lively and active, springing from branc
with which it willingly associates, particularly
“ I t seeks ii
the open ficldi
after the mm
>ften flies down
bushes, and still less in
branch very much
of the Siskin and Common Linnet,