5/2 PERCHING BIRDS 



a crossbill in some det^ree intermediate between the parrot-crossbill 

 (Z. pityopsittaciis) and the common crossbill (Z. cuii'irostra) ; its beak 

 being very large, although not so high as that of the parrot-crossbill. 

 It has been named Loxia curvirostra scotica. But in such a variable 

 group the separation into races must be received with hesitation. 



Barred Crossbill '^'^'^ barred (or two-barred) crossbill takes its name 

 (Loxia bifaseiata) ^f^'O"^ ^'^^ presence of a couple of pinkish-white bars 

 traversing the black wings, these bars being formed 

 by the tips of the middle and greater wing-coverts, but the inner 

 secondary quills being also white-tipped. In the cock the head, neck, 

 and upper-parts are carmine-red, more or less mottled with black ; 

 while the lower surface is also carmine, passing into white on the 

 abdomen. The hen, on the other hand, has the upper-parts greenish 

 grey with a tinge of }'ellovv, and marked with dusky brown, but the 

 loins are pale x'ellow, and the general colour is paler on the throat and 

 abdomen than elsewhere ; while young birds are greyish, with little or 

 no yellow, but abundant dark streaks. From its home in northern 

 Siberia and the north of Russia this crossbill wanders at times into 

 central Europe, whence some make their way to England, while a few 

 even reach the Irish coast. In Scotland it appears to be unknown. Of 

 the nearl)' allied white crossbill (Z,. Iciicoptcrci) — a North American bird 

 — several examples are reported to have occurred in the British Isles. 



Bullfinch Although with the same type of coloration as the 



(Pvrrhula redbreast, the bullfinch presents a remarkable contrast 



eupoD£ea) ^° ^^^^^ species in that the brilliant livery is restricted 



to the cock ; a similar feature characterising many 



of the finch tribe as contrasted with the warbler group. In the case of 



the present genus, it is, however, noteworthy that there are species in 



which the dull dress of the female of the type form is common to 



b(jth sexes, so that the colouring of the cock in the Ikitish bird 



may be regarded as a feature of comparatively recent acquisition. 



In addition to the grey breast of the females, the bullfinches are 



characterised by the great inflation of the stout beak, which has a 



regular contour from base to tip. With the exception of an outlying 



Alaskan species, bullfinclics are confined t(j northern Africa, Europe, 



and Asia north of the Himalaya. 



The rose-vermilion under-parts, black crown and throat, and grey 

 upper-j)arts suffice to characterise the cock bullfinch ; which is, how- 

 ever, further distinguished by a white patch on the loins, white tips 



