242 BIRDS OP NOKFOLK. 



LOXIA BIFASCIATA, Nilsson. 



EUEOPEAN WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. 



Until within the last few years, it would seem that 

 under the name of the " White-winged Crossbill," two 

 distinct species had been hitherto confounded, and to 

 M. de Selys-Longchamps, the Belgian naturalist, belongs 

 the credit of j)ointing out and establishing the real 

 points of difference between the two forms — one, strictly 

 American, the other confined to the northern parts of 

 Europe. Under the original name of the white- winged 

 crossbill, the occurrence of various specimens in different 

 parts of England have from time to time been recorded ; 

 but the difficulty now presents itself of determining 

 which were American and which European, or whether 

 indeed individuals of both species have really occurred 

 in this country. Yarrell, in the third and last edition 

 of his *'^ British Birds," has devoted much space and 

 labour to the identification of these two birds, and 

 whilst admitting the difficulty above expressed, states 

 that five white-winged crossbills submitted to him for in- 

 spection, all killed in England, undoubtedly belonged to 

 the European species, and that of these one was killed 

 at Thetford."^ I am aware of but one bird of this 

 kind having been killed in Norfolk, and as that was 

 obtained in the neighbourhood of Thetford, I think 

 there can be little doubt that the one mentioned by 

 Yarrell, and that described below, are identical, and 

 that therefore the European species, the Loxia hifasciata 

 of Nilsson, may be fairly placed amongst the " Birds of 



* This bird, formerly in Mr. Doiibleday's collection, was pre- 

 sented by him to Mr. Dix, of West Harling, who still preserves 

 the specimen. 



