28 Transactions of the [Sess. 



wliich I have noticed in the Crossbill while in confinement is his 

 warbling with his mouth shut, the only indication of his being 

 BO employed (saving the sound) being the puffing out at the 

 throat, accompanied with a tremulous motion of the body, and 

 a more apparent movement of the tail. In this case the sound 

 ekes out at the sides of his bill ; but when uttering the sharp 

 call-note, or singing loudly, the mouth is opened in the usual 

 manner. 



Wliere trees are high. Crossbills seldom come low down except 

 in winter, but at that time of year they often sit on the ground 

 and pick out the seeds from the fallen cones, besides alighting on 

 dykes or fences, should there happen to be any near at hand. It 

 is, indeed, a pleasant sight, and one possessing especial charms 

 for the naturalist, to observe a flock alight on the snow-covered 

 ground ; the bright red plumage of the males, and the scarcely 

 less beautiful green hues of the females, standing out in fine con- 

 trast to the pure and dazzling whiteness of the surroundings. On 

 these occasions they are apt to fall an easy prey to predatory boys, 

 whose propensities for stone-throwing and other acts of cruelty to 

 dumb creatures are matters of sufficient notoriety to need no com- 

 ment. The Crossbill is an eminently foolish bird, so far as ideas 

 of self-preservation are concerned, and when engaged dissecting a 

 cone will sustain a running fire of missiles with equanimity, until a 

 well-directed stone arouses it to a sense of its danger, when, alas ! 

 it is too late to escape. Although it would hardly be imagined to 

 be the case, they live admirably in confinement, and with a little 

 care and attention can be readily tamed, so as to come out of their 

 cage when called, sit upon and feed out of the hand, and so on. 

 In fact, few wild birds (not even the Siskin or Bullfinch) make 

 themselves so quickly at home when in captivity. Some have 

 powers of imitation, and can copy the songs of other birds, such as 

 Canaries and Goldfinches, kept within their hearing ; but that 

 remark is only applicable to very young birds, old birds not being 

 so apt when their natural note has been confirmed. This faculty, 

 however, is no great rarity, being possessed in a greater or less 

 degree by many birds, notably Starlings, Blackbirds, Chaffinches, 

 and particularly Bullfinches. It is a curious circumstance, and one 

 which must strike every one who has taken the trouble to look 

 into the matter, that many species whose own songs are the 

 reverse of melodious make the best imitators ; and again, those 

 whose natural melody is very sweet seem unable to acquire the 

 notes of any other bird to anything like the same extent. This is 

 amply illustrated in the case of the Starling and Bullfinch, and 

 others might be instanced. 



The plumage of the Crossbill -is rather perplexing, as at different 

 seasons of the year, and at different ages, the birds show a variety 



