55 LLOYD S NATURAL HISTORY. 



are known, the most familiar to English ornithologists being the 

 so-called " Parrot " Crossbill (Loxia pytiqpsittacus\ which has a 

 much larger bill than the ordinary species, and is an inhabitant 

 chiefly of Northern Europe, whence it ranges occasionally into 

 the British Islands. In the Himalayas the race of the Cross- 

 bill known as Loxia himcUayana is very small, and many 

 ornithologists consider the American Crossbill to be separable 

 as a race. As stated in the " Catalogue of Birds," we have 

 not been able to recognise the differences of these various 

 races. 



Habits.— In winter, when the Crossbill is generally met with 

 in the southern counties of England, it is gregarious, going 

 about in small flocks or in parties. It is a bird of irregular 

 migration, and its movements within the confines of the 

 British Islands are also irregular. During the nesting season 

 it is decidedly shy, but in winter is very tame, and it can 

 be observed from a very short distance. The food in sum- 

 mer consists largely of insects, on which the young are 

 principally reared. The Crossbills feed also on the seeds 

 of the pines, which they extract very dexterously from the 

 cones, as well as on berries. The ordinary Crossbill de- 

 vours the seeds of the larch and spruce-firs, but the large 

 race, the so-called " Parrot " Crossbill, is said by Mr. See- 

 bohm to find its principal food in the seeds of the Scotch 

 fir, which its powerful bill enables it to extract from the 

 larger cones of that tree. The Crossbill is a very early 

 breeder. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped, and generally placed in a fir-tree, often 

 at a considerable height from the ground. It is composed of 

 grass and moss, with a little wool and a few feathers in the 

 lining ; outside the nest is composed of twigs, and in general 

 appearance is like that of the Bullfinch. 



Eggs. — Four to five. Ground-colour varying from stone- 

 colour or creamy-white or pale bluish, with the usual reddish 

 spots and darker purplish-brown overlying spots and scrib- 

 blings. The spots are distributed over the whole surface 

 of the eggs, but when strongly marked, they are collected 

 round the larger end of the egg. Axis, o8-o'9 inch ; diam., 



