692 LOXIA LEUCOPTEIIA. 



of winter it retires from the coast to the thick woods of the 

 interior." Mr Audubon informs us that its " habits are in 

 general similar to those of our common species. Its song is at 

 times mellow and agreeable, and in captivity it becomes gentle 

 and familiar." 



M. Temminck states that it is occasionally met with in Eu- 

 rope, " singly or in small flocks. It has several times been 

 taken in the north of Germany and elsewhere, and has been 

 killed at Nuremberg and in England." In the latter country 

 it has been obtained in a very few instances, as appears from 

 the following notice which I extract from Mr YarrelFs most 

 valuable History of British Birds. " H. E. Strickland, Esq. 

 of Cracombe House, Evesham, mentions that he possesses a 

 specimen killed near Worcester in 1836 ; and Mr Hoy informs 

 me that some years ago Mr Seaman of Ipswich, who is well 

 acquainted with birds, being out with his gun, looking for spe- 

 cimens, saw five or six small birds on a tree, which from their 

 peculiar manners attracted his attention ; he fired and killed 

 one, which proved to be a White-winged Crossbill." A female 

 is also stated to have been shot within two miles of Belfast in 

 January 1802. 



Whether these European birds are precisely identical with 

 those of North America, I cannot from my own observation 

 say ; but the descriptions of authors would induce us to believe 

 that they are. Mine have been taken from American speci- 

 mens, for which I am indebted to Mr Audubon. 



Young. — The young birds in their first plumage differ little 

 from the female. 



