COMMON CROSSBILL AND PARROT CROSSBILL 35 
nest of sticks, and an inside nest of soft material, the latter rising some- 
what higher than the former. - The outside nest is made of twigs of Scotch 
fir, about 3, of an inch thick, somewhat loosely interlaced together, and 
has an inside diameter of four inches, and an outside diameter of six ches 
or more. The inside nest is composed of dry grass and hair-lichen, with 
occasionally a little moss or wool or a few feathers in the lining ; the 
cup has a diameter of 23 inches, and is about 1g inch deep. The usual 
number of eggs is four, but five are sometimes found ; they vary in length 
from ‘95 to ‘85 inch, and in breadth from ‘7 to ‘65*. Eggs of the Parrot 
Crossbill do not differ in size from those of the Common Crossbill. The 
ground-colour of the eggs varies from pale greenish blue to almost white. 
The overlying spots are dark brown, principally at the large end, most of 
them very small, but some as large as No. 10 shot, and many elongated 
into streaks; the underlying spots are pale reddish brown, but do not differ 
in size, shape, or distribution from the overlying spots. 
The female sits very close, and is fed on the nest by the male. In 
confinement these birds are very amusing, climbing about their cages, both 
with claws and bill, like Parrots. 
The general colour of the adult male Crossbill is intermediate between 
scarlet and crimson, somewhat shaded with brown on the back, and most 
brilliant on the rump. The wings, tail, longest tail-coverts, and hindmost 
ear-coverts are brown. ‘The centre of the belly and the under tail-coverts 
are pale grey, the latter with dark centres. Bull, legs, feet, and claws 
brown; irides dark hazel. The adult female differs from the male in 
having the red replaced by greenish yellow. Males of the year are inter- 
mediate in plumage between adult males and females ; in some examples 
the red feathers predominate, and in others the yellow feathers. Females 
of the year only differ from adult females in having much less yellow on 
the plumage. Young in first plumage of both sexes are plain brown, each 
of the small feathers having a dark centre; they moult in the first 
autumn into their respective plumage ‘of males and females of the year. 
The variation in the plumage of the Crossbill is a question upon which 
great difference of opinion has existed, and, strange to say, still exists 
amongst ornithologists who have had the best opportunities of forming a 
judgment on the matter. Bechstein and Hancock describe the males of 
the year as red, which gradually changes to yellowish green as in the adult 
and immature female. Wheelwright thinks that the red plumage of the 
male is only assumed after the second moult, but he looks upon it as an 
intermediate stage, though lasting through several seasons, between the 
mixed plumage of birds of the year and the yellow plumage of what he 
considers to be fully adult males. Naumann, Brehm, Wolley, Meves, 
* Abnormally small eggs may measure *73 by ‘57 (fide Newton), but the eggs measuring 
1 inch by *75 (see Dresser) are larger than any I have ever seen. 
D2 
