WHITE-WINGED CllOSSHlI.l,. 299 



in see-tioiis of the countrN' wlicic, tor scxciul prtH-ediiiy' years, they 

 have been entirely absent. Tlicir tinif of iirstinir is also unusual, 

 the duties of incubation iH'iny- pcrfoi'nii-d while the ground is still 

 covered with snow. Hence the vouiii;-, liein;;' soon set at liberty, are 

 often seen in flocks (juite early in sunnuer, and sometimes in the fall 

 we hear their i-ittlini;- call, and see them descend fi-om the upper air 

 to visit a patch of sunflowers, on the seeds of which they feast with 

 evident relish. Early in spring, when food is less abundant, 1 have 

 seen them alight on the ground and dig the seeds from a s(|uash 

 which had been left out during the winter. 



Their favorite resorts, however, are the sjjruce and hemlock trees, 

 whose dark gi-een foliage forms a fine back-ground for the rich red 

 coloi' of the male as he swings al)out in every possible position, 

 searching for food among the cones at the end of the slender 

 branches. 



They are chietly found east of the Plains, but north and south 

 they are widely distributed, there being recoi'ds of their nesting at 

 various points from Northern Georgia to Alaska. Tn Southern 

 Ontario thev occur chieflv as winter visitants. 



LOXTA LEUCOPTERA Gmel. 

 2U. White-winged Crossbill. (■^)-'-) 



Wings in Ijoth sexes, with two conspicuous white bars. Male: — Rosy-red. 

 Fenrn/t' : — Brownish-olive, streaked and speckled M'ith dusky, the rump saffron. 

 Length, about (i ; wing, 3J ; tail, 2h;. 



H.\B. — Northern parts of North Auieiica, south into the United States in 

 winter. Breeds from Northern New England nortliward. 



Nest, similar to the preceding species. 



Eggs, three or four, ])ak' blue, dotted toward tlie larger end witli lilac and 

 purple. 



This species resembles the pi-ecerling in its lialnts, but does not 

 appear in such large number's. They visit the same localities, some- 

 times in company, sometimes in separate flocks. Both are' quite 

 unsuspicious, and when eagerly searching for food among the pine 

 cones, they admit of a very near approach without taking alarm. 

 They vary much in plumage with age and sex, but the present species 

 can at all times be identified by the white wing-bars. 



It seems to be more northern in its habitat than the K(>d Crossbill. 



