in every unmethodical fashion, and occasionally come upon us in great hordes 

 which even the park policemen notice. 



Then in spring, either because they dread to face renewed privations or be- 

 cause they vary their plans, fare with the lotus buds of forgetfulness in the balmy 

 southlands, some linger to nest and spend a careless summer. Especially is this 

 the case in the Alleghenies and in the mountain regions of New York and New 

 England. The nesting takes place according to no known law, eggs having been 

 taken in mid-winter where the snow lay deep upon the ground, and again in July. 

 And although conifers are the sites usually chosen, the birds are not particular 

 in this matter either — a leafless maple will do as well. 



The crossbill owes particular mandibles to an age-long hankering for pine 

 seeds — a desire fully satisfied according to the fashion of that Providence which 

 works so variously through nature, and whose method we are pleased to call 

 evolution. The bill of the bird was not meant for an organ of the finest precision, 

 and Bufifon, the Deist, once won a cheap applause by railing at the Almighty for 

 a supposed oversight; in this direction; but as a matter of fact its wonderful 

 crossed mandibles enable the crossbill to do what no other bird can, viz., pry 

 open the scales of a pine cone and extract the tiny seed with its tongue. Besides 

 this the bird is not so awkward in the use of its bill as was formerly supposed, 

 since it frequently alights on the ground and picks up the fallen seeds, together 

 with other food. Apples, left hanging and mellowed by the frosts, are favorite 

 winter tidbits, and the birds have been accused of doing trifling damages to the 

 grain. 



Crossbills give out an intermittent rattling cry or excited titter, tew, tew, tew 

 while feeding. The flight note is a short, clear whistle, and a flock composed of 

 separately undulating individuals affords a pleasing sensation to both eye and ear 

 as it rapidly passes. The male is said to have a sprighty whistling song of a 

 most agreeable character, and he sometimes opens the season as early as February. 



Specimens kept in captivity exhibit some of the traits of parrots. Thus, they 

 grasp the wires of the cage with their bill as well as with their feet and move 

 about by its aid. They hang head downward with indift'erence and they convey 

 food to the month by holding it in one foot. It is not surprising that the birds 

 are easily domesticated even when full grown, since they are so unsuspicious as 

 to admit of capture by the hand. T once caught an adult female in mid-air as a 

 flock fluttered up confusedly from the ground, .\ccording to Dr. Brewer, a 

 nest with eggs of this species was once secured in March by Mr. Charles S. Paine, 

 in East Randolph, Vt. "The nest was Iniilt in an upper branch of an elm — 

 which, of course, was leafless — the ground was covered with snow, and the 

 weather severe. The birds were very tame and fearless, refusing to leave tlieir 

 eggs, and had to be several times taken off by the hand. After its nest had been 

 taken, and as Mr. Paine was descending with it in his hand, the female again 

 resumed her place ujxin it. to protect her eggs from the biting frost." 



From "Birds of Oliio," liy pLTiuission. 



45 



