THE COMMON CROSSBILL. 87 



cropping the tender buds, a difficulty mostly ensues, 

 in which the weaker party is compelled to retire. 



But the most remarkable and noteworthy member 

 of the Finch family is the Crossbill. The singular 

 form of the bill, and the peculiar manner in which 

 it collects its food, give it a more than usually inter- 

 esting character. There are two species, differing 

 somewhat in their plumage, as well as in the locality 

 in which they are found. The Common Crossbill, 

 which appears to be the most abundant, inhabits dur- 

 ing winter the pine forests of the Northern and Mid- 

 dle States, extending its migrations as far south as 

 Maryland. They congregate in small flocks or fami- 

 lies, and glean among the ripened cones of the Firs 

 and Pines, where they find an abundant supply of 

 nutritious food in the sweet kernels, which they de- 

 tach from the husks with great dexterity. At first 

 sight the bill of this bird appears like a deformity, 

 but upon further observation we find that for the 

 purpose to which it is applied by the owner, no better 

 form could have been adopted ; and we are obliged 

 to confess that Nature, in thus deviating from the 

 usual form, understood well her own purposes, and 

 that instead of its being a monstrosity, it is only an- 

 other striking proof of the wisdom and skill of an 

 Omnipotent Creator. Their food, although consist- 

 ing principally of the seeds of the Pine and other 

 cone-bearing trees, is not by any means confined to 

 them. When in the vicinity of an orchard, if there 

 is any fruit, they are sure to be among it, cutting the 

 apples to pieces to get at the seeds, of which they 



