The Two-Barred Crossbill 51 



numbers of American Passeres imported yearly to this country, it would be indeed 

 surprising if some of them did not fall victims to the desire implanted in the 

 hearts of many collectors to secure every strange bird which the}' see ; moreover, 

 quiet and confiding as the Crossbills and Rose-finches are in confinement, they 

 are in some respects far less attractive pets than many other birds ; therefore it 

 is quite conceivable that the owner might weary of them, and give them their 

 liberty. 



This near relative of our common species, agrees ver}- closely with it in its 

 habits, frequenting and breeding iu forests of conifers, and feeding largely upon 

 the seeds of these trees : in confinement it is said to be very fond of apples ; 

 but I suspect, as is the case with the common Crossbill, it merely chews up and 

 drops the fruit iu order to secure the pips, which these birds eat with great relish. 



The nest is described by Mr. Dresser, as chiefly differing from that of L. 

 curvirostra iu being smaller and slighter ; the eggs also are said to resemble very 

 closely those of the common species, but are smaller and darker. 



The song is stated to be superior ; but, as the common Crossbill can hardly 

 be said to have a song worth meutiouing, it need not be especially meritorious 

 on that account ; indeed, Herr Mathias Rausch speaks of the Crossbills collectively 

 (Gefiederte Welt, Vol. XX, p. 396) as of trifling value as cage-birds, on account 

 of their song ; with which opinion Major Alexander von Homeyer (p. 489) agrees. 



Herr Gatke says that in 18S9 this species "occurred more frequently (on 

 Heligoland) than on any previous occasion. On the 14th of August I obtained 

 a beautiful scarlet-red male, and an old female. On the 1st, i6tli, 18th, 20th, and 

 22nd of September, from two, five, up to eight males and females were seen daily, 

 accompanied by larger numbers of the common species ; but among all these 

 only one bird in the grey- and black-striped early dress. For my collection I 

 stuffed three fine red old males, a younger yellow male, two old females, and the 

 young bird already mentioned. A large number were consigned to cages by 

 fanciers : some of them having been sold, the rest subsequently died out." 



