remain to breed in Algeria. In winter it would seem to
visit all the islands of the Mediterranean from the Balearic
group to the eastward. It is found in Portugal and is
numerous and resident in many parts of Spain, as well as
throughout the southern and central parts of France; but
further to the northward, except towards the German frontier,
it is only a straggler. In Italy it is generally distributed,
but partially so in Switzerland, though said to breed yearly
and commonly about Geneva. As before intimated it is abundant
in South Germany, especially on the Upper and Middle
Rhine, and the same is the case in the Austrian dominions.
The cock has the bill horn-coloured, with the lower mandible
paler : the irides dark brown : immediately above the
nostrils is a transverse line of dull greyish-olive, which,
excepting a patch on the forehead and a streak above and
below each eye of bright gamboge-yellow, is the prevailing
colour of the head, ear-coverts and neck—being mixed however
with yellow on the nape; the mantle and back are dark
greyish-brown, each feather being more or less broadly
edged with yellow ; the least wing-coverts are blackish-
brown tipped with yellow ; the rest with the quill-feathers,
both of wings and tail, greyish-brown, narrowly bordered
with primrose-yellow, which on the tertials is broader but
inclining to greyish-buff; the rump is bright gamboge-
yellow ; the upper tail-coverts blackish-brown with yellow
edges | the chin, throat, sides of the neck beneath the ear-
coverts, and breast, are bright gamboge-yellow, streaked on the
sides of the breast and flanks with blackish-brown, and paling
on the belly which, with the vent and the lower tail-coverts,
is white; the inner wing-coverts are greyish, tinged with
yellow : the legs and toes pale brown, the claws darker.
The hen is very similar, but has much less yellow, and
that not so bright in tin t; the middle wing-coverts also are
edged with pale buff. In winter the yellow of the cock,
especially on the head, is much obscured by greyish-olive,
and on the wing-coverts inclines to pale buff.
The whole length is about four inches and a half; that of
the wing from the carpal joint two inches and four-fifths.
PASSERES. FRINQILL1DM.
THE GOLDFINCH.
Carduelis elegans.
Cabdttelis, Brissonf.— Bill hard, nearly conical but slightly compressed, the
point slender and sharp. Nostrils basal, lateral, round, and hidden by projecting
and recurved plumes. Gape slightly curved. Wings rather long and pointed;
the first primary finely attenuated and so small as to seem wanting; the second, third
and fourth nearly equal, but the second the longest. Tail more or less moderate,
and forked. Tarsus short and rather stout, seutellate in front, covered at the
side by a single plate. Claws moderate.
The genus Carduelis, founded by Brisson to receive the
Goldfinch and some other birds, has been pretty generally
adopted by naturalists, though many have still further subdivided
it.
Gay plumage, lively habits, an agreeable form and song,
with an endearing disposition, are such strong recommendations,
that the Goldfinch has been, and will probably long
be, one of the most favourite cage-birds. So well does this
species bear confinement that it has been known to live ten
years in captivity, continuing in song the greater part of each
* Gen. Zool. xiv. p. 30 (1826). + Orn. iii. p. 50 (1760).