248 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



white tinged with blue or green, in ground-colour 

 spotted and blotched with purplish-red and grey. 

 The Greenfinch is seclusive and shy during the 

 nesting season. The note of the hen-bird at the 

 nest is a gentle pl-zvee-et. The food of this bird 

 is largely composed of grain and seeds, buds and 

 berries, but in summer insects and larvae are sought. 

 We have remarked the fondness of this bird for 

 seeds of the sunflower, in September and October. 



Our third species is a very local one, somewhat 

 inaptly named the " Common " Crossbill {Loxia 

 curvirostra). This peculiar bird, one of the showi- 

 est of our indigenous species, is met with in the 

 southern districts chiefly as a winter visitor, although 

 its nest has been found in a great many English 

 counties. North of the Border it becomes com- 

 moner, and breeds in the pine districts ; as it also 

 does in those of Ireland. Its extra British range is 

 a very wide one and extends over the pine regions 

 of Europe, Asia, and North America. Although 

 the young bird and the female might be confused 

 casually with the Greenfinch, the cock in his 

 splendid vermilion or scarlet dress is readily identi- 

 fied. The Crossbill may also be recognized by 

 having the mandibles crossed at the point, although 

 this feature is absent in very young birds. In 

 winter-time Crossbills in wandering bands may be 

 met with in almost any kind of wooded country, but 

 in summer they are chiefly confined to the belts of 



