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T H E BLACK-THROATED SISKIN,
Chrvsomitris ictérica, LiCHT.
"V 'FY experience wdtli Siskins general!}-, lias been so unpleasant, tliat I cannot
recommend them to an}' who wish to enjoy them for any length of time.
They seem to me to be the most delicate of all the true Pinches: even in the
case of our British species, for one specimen that has lived three or four }'ears, at
least a dozen have died after a twelvemonth of captivity. Of two American Siskins
(I believe Chrysomitris Yarrelli from Bahia and Pemambuco) which I purchased at
fifteen shillings a head, one died in a week and the other in a fortnight, after
singing in so lively and beautiful a manner, that one wished them to live for ever.
In the case of the present species,—I imported it in 1893 from the Argentines;
it arrived in a puffy condition and died three days afterwards. As a set-off against
this frailty, it cannot be denied that some of these birds are admirable singers,
almost attaining to the musical skill of the Serins and distinctly excelling that of
the Green Singing-Finch: the}' are moreover the most confiding and tamest of all
Fringillincc.
The Black-thi'oated Siskin is a native of Brazil and the Argentine Republic
to Chili.
The male above is olive-yellowish, becoming bright yellow 011 the hind part
of the back, upper tail coverts and base of tail feathers; the remaining portion of
the tail black; the wings, excepting at the base, black, the median and greater
coverts tipped with yellow; the ñights with their bases and edges bright yellow;
nape, sides of face and throat black; back and sides of neck bright yellow, forming
an imperfect collar; front of neck and body below yellow; beak and legs blackish;
iris brown. Length inches.
Female greyer above, but the hind part of back yellower; upper tail coverts
grey-greenish; tail feathers brownish, with less yellow at base; forehead slightly
yellowish; median and greater wing-coverts tipped with greyish white; the cjuills
less 3'ellow at the base, the secondaries edged with whitish towards the tip of the
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