FRINGILLID.E: FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPARROWS. 



385 



L. leucop'tera. (Gr. Xei^Ko's, leitJi-Qs, white; nrepov, pteron, wing. Figs. 243, 244.) White- 

 winged Crossbill. Adult $: Rosy-red, sometimes carmined or even crimsoned, obscured 

 on middle of back, paling on lower belly and crissum, latter whitish with dusky centres of the 

 feathers. Scapulars black, this color sometimes 

 meeting across lower back. Wing- and tail- 

 feathers black, with slight white or rosy edgings ; 

 inner secondaries and greater and middle coverts 

 tipped with white, forming two cross-bars, some- 

 times confluent in one large patch. Rather larger 

 than the next, the bill thinner and more attenuate. 

 9 and young : Though the differences are paral- 

 lel with those of L. minor, some peculiarity in 

 tone of color usually serves to distinguish the two 

 species, independently of the white wing-marks, Fig. 244.-Wh.te-vvmge.i ( ■ ..i„ii l \ Fuertes.) 

 which exist in both sexes at all ages. The difference is something like that between the 9 9 

 of Pinmga rubra and P. erytliromelas, in the presence of ochrey or bnffy tints, instead of clear 

 olivaceous or yellowish. Upper parts fuscous, closely lined with an ochrey-olive or dingy ochre, 

 the rump bright yellow-ochre. Below, the gray overlaid with ochreous, and further varied with 

 dark gray centres of the feathers, tending to streaks on the flanks. The whole tone of colora- 

 tion varies interminably ; the under parts and rump are sometimes bright tawny yellow, or 

 brownish-orange. Some $ $ are brilliant carmine, some 9 9 pale orange, almost uniform. 

 North Am., northerly; Alaska; Greenland; casual in Europe. In winter S. to about 38° in 

 U. S., in flocks like the next, not so common. Resident in N. New England, and along whole 

 N. tier of States, probably breeding also in alpine U. S. localities to Pennsylvania and Colo- 

 rado. Breeds in winter and early spring ; nesting like that of the next species ; eggs pale 

 blue, dotted chiefly at the larger end with black and lilac; 0.80 X 0.56. 



L. curviros'tra mi'nor. (Lat. curvirostris, curve-billed ; minor, lesser, smallei-. Figs. 245, 

 246.) Aaierican Red Crossbill. Adult ^ : Red; wings and tail blackish, without white 



markings. Middle of back 



darker, more brownish -red 

 than elsewhere, the feathers 

 with dusky centres. In the 

 highest feather, even, the red 

 is scarcely continuous except 

 on head and rump, where 

 brightest ; lower belly and 

 crissum usually gray or pale. 

 Though the shade of red is 

 never rosy or carmine as in 

 the last, it varies intermina- 

 )ly. It is usually tile -red or 

 cinnabar, heightening in some 

 cases to vermilion, in olhers 

 shading to brownish-red, and 

 often mixed not only with 

 gray, but with olivaceous or 

 saffron-yellowish tints. Orange, chrome, or gamboge ^ ^ are sometimes seen, and in captivity 

 the European species of which ours is a variety is well known to lose the rod tints; the same 

 is doubtless true under some circumstances of all the members of this genus, in a state of na- 

 ture. Length about 6.00; wing 3.50 ; tail 2.25 ; tarsus 0.65; bill (chord of culmen) 0.67 or 



25 



Fio. 245. —Common CrossbiU, cf 9, rediiced. (Sheppard del. Nichols sc.) 



