FRINGILLIDA. 209 
the mountain ash also appear to be a favourite food, 
as do the pips of the apple, from which circumstance 
it has obtained the name of “ Shell-apple.” In con- 
finement it eats hemp and canary seed, also the 
seeds of various sorts of weeds and almost all seeds 
of berries: it is also very fond of biting sticks, even 
its perches, to pieces like a parrot. 
Several instances of this bird breeding in Eng- 
land have been recorded. The nest is generally 
placed in « fir-tree, but occasionally an apple-tree 1s 
chosen: itis made of dry grass and twigs, and lined 
with hair. This bird is a very early breeder, the 
month of January having been mentioned by some. 
In plumage the Crossbill varies very greatly, 
according to age and sex. The form of the beak is 
very peculiar, both mandibles being much curved at 
the point, so as completely to cross each other: the 
colour is a dull reddish brown, darkest at the tip; 
the irides are dark brown: in its red plumage 
(which appears to be almost the most common) the 
head, neck, rump, breast, flanks and most of the 
under parts are red; the back and scapulars are a 
darker shade, mixed with brown; wing-coverts and 
quills darkish brown; the greater wing-coverts are 
slightly tipped with dirty white ; the tail is much the 
same colour as the wings. One of my red specimens 
has a few greenish orange feathers on the rump and 
flanks, also some dark brownish ones on the top of 
the head. One of those killed in Guernsey is pro- 
13 
