56 CROSSBILL. 



through the county wherever the larch, spruce, or Scotch firs 

 abound. "In 1868," says the Rev. Clement Ley, "June was 

 the only month out of twelve successive months in which the 

 Crossbills failed to appear in the Vicarage garden at Sellack, near 

 Ross. They came in small companies, usually with one or two 

 young birds in each flock, and seldom remained above a few 

 hours; curiously enough, they generally came in the odd numbers 

 of three, five, or seven. They are tame, bold birds, and are not 

 afraid of being looked at. Very curious and interesting it was to 

 watch their parrot-like movements, as they chmbed from bough to 

 bough of the spruce fir trees, frequently breaking off a spray with 

 a cone attached to it. This they grasped in their claws whilst they 

 extracted the seeds, producing a loud snapping noise with their 

 powerful bills. Amongst them were several young males of the 

 year, whose brilliant rosy plumage formed a striking contrast to the 

 almost sooty hues of their companions." A small flock visited the 

 Scotch fir plantation near the gardens at Holme Lacy for many 

 years in succession, and this, too, generally presented the mysterious 

 odd numbers of five or seven. They have also been observed at 

 Breinton, Colwall, Dinmore, and other places where fir plantations 

 abound. 



Mr. James W. Lloyd exhibited young birds shot in the 

 neighbourhood of Kington in the year 1868. 



Mr. Edwin Lees, writes — " In an old History of Birds, 

 published in the last century, it is said that Crossbills visit the 

 orchards of Herefordshire and Worcestershire in great numbers, 

 destroying the apples for the sake of their enclosed kernels, and 

 hence the bird received the name of ' Shell-apple.'" 



The bill of the young bird in the nest is not crossed, but it 

 becomes so when it begins to seek its food for itself. This crossing of 

 the mandibles is quite unique, and has given rise to the legend that 

 this bird acquired its peculiar conformation of bill and coloration 

 of plumage, from its efforts to withdraw the nails and release the 

 suffering Saviour at the crucifixion. This legend is best known by 

 Longfellow's version of Mosen's jDoem, which concludes thus : 



