THE WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. 75 



species, female and \oiiiu/: Light olive-yellow, ochraceous, or even jiale orange 

 over gray, clearer on rump, duller on throat and belly ; most of the feathers 

 with dusky centers, finer on crown and throat, broader on back and breast ; wings 

 and tail as in male, but fuscous rather than black ; feather-edgings olivaceous. 

 Very variable. Length 6.00-6.50 ( 152.4-165.1 ) ; wing 3.50 (88.9); tail 2.25 

 (57.2); bill .67 (17). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; crossed bill; cons;>icuous white wing- 

 bars of 1.10th sexes. 



Nesting. — Xcst has not yet been taken in Washington but bird undoubtedly 

 breeds here. "Xcst: of twigs and strips of birch-bark, covered exteriorly with 

 moss (Usnca) and lined with soft moss and hair, on the fork of an evergreen, in 

 deep forests. Eggs: 3( ?), pale blue, spotted and streaked near larger end with 

 reddish brown and lilac. .80 x .55 (20.3x14)" (Chamberlain). Season: Feb.- 

 March. 



General Range. — Xorthern parts of North America and southern Green- 

 land, south into the LTnited States in winter. Resident in coniferous timber thru 

 the entire northern tier of states and irregularly south in the mountains at least 

 to Colorado. Casual in western Europe. 



Range in Washington. — Several records of occurrences in northern Cas- 

 cade Mountains. Doubtless regular and resident. 



Authorities. — Dawson, Auk, \'ol. X\'II. Oct., 1901. p. 403. D-. 



Specimens.— (L. of \\ .) Prov. C. B. 



TO TELL the truth, nu one hereabouts appears to know much about 

 the White-wiiig'ed Crossbill. It is presumed to be common in the Cascade 

 Mountains, but I have only thrice encountered it: once, May 15, 1891, in 

 the mountains of Yakima County: again, July 23, 1900, on the slopes of 

 W^right's Peak near the head of Lake Chelan : and lastly, on the summit of 

 Cascade Pass, June 25, 1906. There are no other records.* This species 

 is quite as erratic as its more common cousin : and while it is, perhaps, more 

 nearly confined to the mountains, it should be looked for wherever C. minor 

 occurs, and especially in flincks of the latter species. 



Of the bird's occurrence in Alaska, where it is much more abundant. 

 Nelson says'': "It is more familiar than the Grosbeak [i. e., Pinicola cnu- 

 cleator alascensis], frequently coming low down among the smaller growth, 

 and it is a common sight to see parties of them swinging about in every con- 

 ceivable position from the twigs on the tops of the cottonwoods or birch 

 trees, where the birds are busily engaged in feeding upon the buds. They 

 pay no lieed to a passing party of sleds, except, perhaps, that an individual 

 will fly down to some convenient bush, where he curiously examines the 

 strange procession, and, his curiosity satisfied or confidence restored, back 

 he goes to his companions and continues feeding. When fired at they utter 



a. Since writing the above specimens have been taken at Kirkland by :\liss Jennie V. Getty (Dec. 1908). 



b. Rep. Nat'l Hist. Coll. in Alaska, pp. 174, 175. 



