280 AUTUMN AND WINTER 



in frosty weather. It is a smaller bird than the linnet; and 

 the general effect of bright golden-green in its mottled 

 plumage makes it very noticeable in a flock of various 

 species. Its golden feathers are more evenly distributed 

 about its body than those of the yellowhammer ; and it is 

 also much smaller. The crossbill is yet another species of 

 the finch tribe which appears irregularly in Britain from the 

 continental pine-forests in winter. Its visits are exceedingly 

 irregular ; sometimes very few crossbills are seen in this 

 country for many winters, and then our island shares in a 

 great migration extending over a large part of Europe, and 

 probably extending to the Siberian forests beyond the Asiatic 

 boundary. The last great migration of this kind took place 

 in 1909, and was repeated to a smaller extent in the follow- 

 ing season. Flocks of crossbills were seen wandering in the 

 Alpine valleys as early as July; and a few weeks later the 

 arrival of these fascinating birds was reported from many 

 parts of Britain, as well as from most other parts of Europe. 

 Both crossbills and siskins breed irregularly and in small 

 numbers in this country, and since the 1909 migration, the 

 stock of breeding crossbills has been considerably increased. 

 But the vast majority of the crossbills which have haunted 

 fir and larch woods in recent winters have departed before 

 the spring. In old cock birds the prevailing colour of the 

 plumage is red ; but they are greatly outnumbered in most 

 flocks by the hens and young birds, which are chiefly green. 

 Besides this conspicuous colouring, a flock of crossbills is 

 likely to attract notice on the wing by their eager, jerky 

 movement, and a chattering note which seems to corre- 

 spond to their flight. Their motions are equally restless as 

 they search in the tops of the firs or larches for the cones, 

 which they dissect with their remarkable beaks. The tips 

 of the curved mandibles cross when the beak is closed and 



