198 ZOOLOGY. 



gregarious, though occupied with their nests and young. The onl}' difTerence I observed in 

 summer plumage was a bright liue of the yellow bars on the wings. It closely resembles the 

 yellow bird in habits and notes, but differs in the choice of its food, preferring the seeds of 

 trees to the low plants on which the other feeds. — C. . 



CURVIROSTRA AMERICANA, Wilson. 



Red Crossbill. 



Curvirostra amtricana, Wils. Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 44 ; pi. xxxi, f. 1, 2. — Baibd, Gen. Eep. Birds, p. 42G. 



Loxia amerkana, Bo.n. List, 1838. — 1b. Conspectus, 1850, 527. — Bon. & Schlegel, Mons. Loxiens, 5, tab. vi. — 



NEWBERKy,Zool. California and Oregon Route, P. R. R Rep. VI, iv, 1857, 87. 

 Zoiia cumrosfra, FoRSTEK, PhiL Trans. LXII, 1772, No. 23.— Ann. Biog. II, 1834, 551): V, 511 ; pi. 107.— Ib. 



Birds Amer. Ill, 1841, 186 ; pi. 200. 



Sp. Ch. — Male dull red ; darkest across the back ; wings and tail dark blackish brown. 



Female dull greenish olive above, each feather with a dusky centre ; rump and crown bright greenish yellow. Beneath 

 grayish ; tinged, especially on the sides of the body, with greenish yellow. Young entirely brown, paler beneath. 

 Male about six inches ; extent, 10 50 ; wing, 3.30 ; tail, 2.25. Iris, bill, and feet, dark brown. 

 Ilab. — North America generally, coming southward in winter. Resident in the mountains of Pennsylvania. 



The crossbill is abundant near the coast, where it feeds in winter on the seeds of the black 

 spruce. In summer it appears to retire to the high mountains to breed, but returns about 

 September. The color of the males so closely resembles that of the young spruce cones that 

 it is hard to distinguish them on a tree. There is, as in the last species, always a larger num- 

 ber of brown birds. I have not observed this bird in the forests of the fir, east of the Coast 

 range. It seems to prefer those cones that are easy to break open. — C. 



This bird, in certain seasons, is quite abundant at Puget Sound. This was the case in the 

 spring of 18.54. Since that time I have obtained but one specimen. I noticed in 1854, about 

 my door at Fort Steilacoom, a pair on the ground near a pool of rain water; they appeared very 

 tame, and allowed me to appreach within a few feet. — S. 



AEGIOTHUS LINARIA, C a b a n i s . 



Lesser Red PoU. 



Fringaia linaria, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 322.— Add. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 538 ; pi. 375. 



Acanthis linaria, Bp. Conspectus, 1850, 541. 



Airjiothus linaria, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 161. — Baied, Gen. Rep. Birde, p. 428. 



Linaria minor, Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 267.— Aud. Syn. 1839, 114.— Id. Birds Amer. Ill, 1841, 122 ; pi. 179. 



Sp. Cu. — Above light yellowish, each feather streaked with dark brown. Crown dark crimson. Upper part of the breast 

 and sides of the body tinged with a lighter tint of the same ; the rump and under tail coverts also similar, but still less livid, 

 and with dusky streaks. Rest of under parts white, streaked on the side with brown. Loral region and chin dusky ; 

 cheeks, (brightest over the eye,) and a narrow front, whitish. Wing feathers edged externally, and tail feathers all around 

 with white. Two yellowish white bands acros.s the wing coverts ; secondaries and teitiaries edged broadly with the same. 

 Bill yellowish, tinged with brown on the culmen and gonys ; the basal bristles brown, reaching over half the bill. Length, 

 5.25 ; extent, 9; wing, 3.10 ; tail, 2.70. Iris brown, bill yellow, feet black. 



Hab. — ITiroughout eastern North America, coming south in winter. Washington Territory. — Cooper. 



The lesser linnet I never saw but once, when a small flock appeared on the coast in winter. 

 I obtained one specimen, which was unluckily destro^'ed afterwards. It seemed to have much 

 the same habits as the pine finch, and fed on alder and thistle seeds. — C. 



