COMMON CROSSBILKE,.
Loxia curvirostra, Linn.

La Bee croisé commun, ou des Pines,

Ss

Aurnouen the Common Crossbill frequently visits our island in large numbers at opposite seasons of the year,
it can scarcely be considered as a permanent resident ; a few isolated Instances, it is true, are on record
of its having bred with us, but its natural habitat is undoubtedly the high northern regions of the old continent.
Mr. Selby informs us that in the year 1821 immense flocks visited this kingdom and scattered themselves
among the woods and plantations, particularly where fir-trees were abundant. “Their first appearance was early
in June, and the greater part of the flocks seemed to consist of females and the young of the year (the males
possessing the red plumage assumed from the first moult to the end of that year). Many of the females I
killed showed plainly, from the denuded state of their breasts, that they had been engaged in incubation some
time previous to their arrival ; which circumstance agrees with the account given of the early period at which
they breed in the higher latitudes. Since this period Crossbills have repeatedly visited us, but never in such
numbers as in 1821.”

We may here observe that in the minds of many naturalists some doubts still exist, and until lately in our
own, as to whether the rich rosy red colouring assumed by this bird is characteristic of the breeding-season
or the permanent livery of the adult male. During our recent visit to Vienna, we had an opportunity of ob-
serving both sexes in every stage, an examination of which afforded us abundant proofs that the red plumage
is acquired during the first autumn, for we saw many lately fledged that had their plumage thickly spotted ;
others, that had partially lost their spotted appearance, and had partly assumed the red colouring ; and others
that had their feathers entirely tinted of this colour: while the adults were, as most ornithologists have
stated, characterized by a plumage of olive green, which appears to be permanent. In the bird-market of
Vienna multitudes of Crossbills are exposed for sale, with Swallows, Martins, and many others of the smaller
birds, for the purposes of the table: of these the Crossbill appeared to be especially in request, doubtless
from its superiority of size, and from the nature of its food rendering its flesh both sweet and well tasted, to
the truth of which we ourselves can bear testimony.

The nest of the Crossbill is placed in the fork of the topmost branches of the fir and other trees, and is
composed of moss and lichens, generally lined with feathers: the eggs are four or five in number, of a greyish
white marked at the larger end with irregular patches of bright blood red, the remainder minutely speckled
with the same colour. Its note is a kind of twitter, uttered while occupied in extracting the seed from the
fir cone which constitutes its principal food, and for obtaining which its bill is expressly adapted. The fruit
of the orchard is sometimes attacked by this bird, when they commit considerable devastation among the
apples and pears by splitting them asunder for the sake of the seeds within. Among the branches it is ex-
tremely active and agile, clinging in every possible direction by means of its bill and claws, like the members
of the genus Pszttacus.

Of all the small birds, the Crossbill seems to be the least distrustful of man, and when flocks arrive in our
island it is well known that numbers are taken by means of a birdlimed twig, attached to the end of a fishing-
rod placed across their back.

The green plumage referred to above resembles so closely that of the adult Parrot Crossbill, that any
lengthened description will be unnecessary; nor, after what has been said above, do we consider it requisite
to give any further account of the young.

Our Plate represents an adult and a young bird of the year, of the natural size.