EUROPEAN CROSSBILL. 423 



The largest bill which I have seen was six and three-fourths 

 twelfths in height at the base, the smallest four and a half 

 twelfths. In some individuals the curvature of the dorsal out- 

 lines of the mandibles is slight, in others very great. Thus, 

 in a specimen in my possession, on drawing a line from the 

 ridge of the upper mandible at the base to the tip, and taking 

 its perpendicular distance to the highest point of the arch, I 

 find it one eighth of an inch, while in another it is two twelfths, 

 and in a third very nearly three twelfths. The distance from 

 the angle of the mouth to the tip of the upper mandible in a 

 right line varies from eight to ten twelfths ; the points of the 

 mandibles are more or less compressed and worn ; from the 

 latter cause, the lower sometimes reaches the level of the ridge 

 of the upper, but very frequently falls short of it, and some - 

 times extends a little beyond it. The latter happens in young 

 individuals only, the former in old birds. But a character de- 

 rived from such a circumstance is obviously of no use. The 

 lower mandible in some individuals is deflected to the right, 

 in others to the left. Mr. Jenyns gives the entire length as 

 " six inches four lines," but I have never seen an individual 

 so small ; and it is probable, as he gives no other measurements, 

 that he has not examined specimens, at least recent unstufFed 

 birds, to which conclusion I am the more led as his descrip- 

 tion of the Common and Parrot Crossbills is evidently trans- 

 lated and condensed from that of M. Temminck. 



The following table exhibits the dimensions of a series of 

 specimens carefully measured. 



M. F. M. F. M. 



Length 7i 



Wings 11/2 



Depth of bill... /^ 

 Upper mandible ^^^ 

 Lower mandible -f^ 

 Wing from joint 3 } ^ 



Tail.^. .' 2i 



Tarsus j\ 



First toe {'^ 



