BIRDS OF NEW YORK 267 



ville were taken on March 30, 1904. Kennard (Auk, 12:304) found the 

 bird breeding at Brandreth lake in May 1890 and 1894, an d reports a nest 

 in the same place May 1890, containing young birds. Mr Bicknell reports 

 the breeding of this species at Riverdale on the Hudson, the fresh eggs 

 being taken on April 30, 1875 (N. O. C. Bui. 5:7-9), and Mr Helme reports 

 it breeding at Millers Place, Long Island, April 10, 1883 (Auk, 2:100). 

 It will thus be seen that the species is also erratic in the time of breeding 

 as well as in the locality chosen for that purpose. 



Habits. The nests are placed in evergreen trees, usually not very 

 far from the ground; constructed mostly of twigs, grasses and rootlets, 

 lined with bits of moss and hair. Mr Bicknell describes the nest he found 

 as composed of spruce twigs in a mass, with cedar bark and a felting of 

 finer materials, and a second coating of horsehair, rootlets, pieces of string, 

 and 2 or 3 feathers. The eggs are usually 3 or 4 in number, pale greenish, 

 spotted and dotted with various shades of brown and lavender, averaging 

 •75 by -57 inches. 



Like the Pine grosbeak this species is gentle and approachable in 

 disposition, exhibiting very little fear of mankind. I have frequently 

 stood under a hemlock or a spruce for some time without realizing that 20 

 or 30 crossbills were scattered throughout the top of the tree, twisting 

 the seeds from the cones, until the little wings which they had cut from 

 the seeds came floating down and advised me of their presence. Then 

 on examination the tree seemed to be full of crossbills. They are very 

 dexterous in their work of extracting seeds from the cones, climbing about 

 and hanging by their feet and bills almost as expertly as parrots. 

 Occasionally the whole flock takes flight suddenlv without any appar- 

 ent reason, as they fly away uttering a keen " pip-pipe, pip-pi p- 

 pipe." While feeding they occasionally keep up a series of short chirping 

 whistles that sounds like a contented chattering among the company. 

 The flight of the Crossbill is undulating. The flock keeps more closely 

 together than is the case with most of the members of the finch family, 

 sometimes wheeling about almost as closely ranked as flocks of cowbirds 



