TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL. 215 



Nordmann obtained several examples, and in 1856 Mr. 

 Dresser got many at Viborg ; but, though J. von Wright 

 procured it the following year at Haminanlaks, it is not 

 mentioned by Dr. Malmgren as a bird of the Kajana tract. 



In Eussia it was apparently unknown till 1841, when 

 Prof. Brandt announced it as of very rare occurrence in that 

 country. In July 1848, Prof. Lilljeborg, however, found it 

 in plenty near Archangel ; but the experience of later travel- 

 lers seems to shew that even there its appearance is fitful, 

 and, though in some seasons it is numerous, years may pass 

 without seeing it. When it does appear it seems to breed, 

 and its song and beautiful plumage make it eagerly sought 

 and highly prized as a cage-bird. The larch-forests of Siberia 

 probably afford it a more certain residence, and in that country 

 it is especially abundant, reaching to the Arctic Circle on the 

 Jennesei, and having been met with throughout Manchuria 

 to the Pacific. It has been also included among the birds 

 of Japan ; but seemingly on the evidence only of native 

 drawings.* 



As regards habits little difference has been observed 

 between this and other Crossbills. Its call-notes however 

 are said to be peculiar. The earlier observers, Brehm and 

 Gloger, syllabled them by the words krit, tiitt, t'dtt and 

 giitt, (fdtt or gratt, gratt — all to be pronounced as in German. 

 Baron de Selys, who has so effectually contributed to a better 

 knowledge of this bird, says (Bull. Acad. Belg. 184G, pt. i. 

 p. 331) that his attention was first drawn to it by its cry, 

 which somewhat resembled that of a Bullfinch, and he had 

 the pleasure of observing a flock for more than a fortnight 

 on his property at Longchamps-sur-Geer. They preferred 

 the seeds of the larch to those of other firs. Those that 

 Prof. Lilljeborg saw near Archangel however haunted a wood 



* The skin of a white-winged Crossbill, formerly in the possession of Mr. 

 Gould, purported lo come Erom the Himalayas, and has been figured bj Bonaparte 



and Prof. Schlegel in their fine 'Mi grapbie des Loxiens' (p. 8, pi. lo) as a 



specimen of /.. leucoptera, but as stated by the Author in the last Edition of 

 the present work it belongs to I. bifasciata, and agrees with 'various examples 

 taken in this country, 



VOL. II. '• I 



