426 U. Ss. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY— GENERAL REPORT. 
CURVIROSTRA, Scop li. 
Loxia, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. 1758. Type Loxia curvirostra,L. Not of 1735, which has for type Loaia coccothraustes, L. 
Curvirostra, ‘‘ Scopout, 1777.”’ Type L. curvirostra. 
Cu.—Mandibles much elongated, compressed and attenuated ; greatly curved or falcate, the points crossing or overlapping to 
a greater or less degree. Tarsi very short ; claws all very long, the lateral extending beyond the middle of the central ; hind 
claw longer than its digit. Wings very long and pointed, reaching beyond the middle of the narrow, forked tail. 
Colors reddish in the male. 
The elongated, compressed, falcate-curved and overlapping mandibles, readily characterise 
this genus among birds. 
The United States species of Curvirostra are readily distinguished by the presence of white 
bands on the wing in leucoptera and their absence in americana. 
As Loxia was first assigned by Linnaeus, in 1735, to his Z. cocothraustes, I do not understand 
why G. R. Gray and Cabanis have not retained the genus for the last named type. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
Catal. Species. Locality. Sex. |Length. | Stretch Wing. | Tail. | Tarsus. | Middle \Its claw) Bill Along | Specimen 
No. | ‘of wings. | | | alone. | above. gape. | measured. 
pai | | | | | 
5801 | Curvirostra leucoptera..| Philadelphia........ Q 5. 2.56 0.62) 0.68 0.24 0.64 0.64 | Skin ..... 
WeItSS | nse Srpadancoddonod| |soaace Oj. ceesiiecees rot 6. 2.76 | 0.64 | 0.72 | 0.32 0.64 0.66 | Skin..... 
5803 | Curvirostra americana..|...... dO .cccveceese Nh est 5. 2Qrod2)|) 0.62!) Ours 0.24 0.58 0.54 | Skin..... 
6441 | Shoalwater bay Q 5. 2,28 | 0.62 | 0.78 0.25 0.54 0.56 | Skin..... 
LOSMN | lerelersicie AO Weiss'ccioerssfeteie'sisiel|(esremie's dO . seceeceoes|cecees | 5 sess feees eens! vee|'se seicwie|ccselesies| snes sees] Fresh..... 
3727 Califomia ......... joteeee 5 2.56 0.70 | 0.88 0.30 0.70 0.70 | Skin..... 
8962 Laramie Peak..... Neonoct| 6 2.50 0.70 | 0.82 0.30 0.82 0.76 | Skin 
6440 ..| Shoalwater bay... By 2.38) 0.70 | 0.85 0.30! 0.62 0.64 | Skin..... 
4485 .| Des Chutes basin...) . ‘| 6. 2.30 | 0.64) 0.74) 0.96 | 0 63 0.64 | Skin..... 
CURVIROSTRA AMERICANA, Wilson. 
Red Crossbill. 
Curvirostra americana, Wits. Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 44; pl. xxxi, f. 1, 2. 
Loxia americana, Bon. List, 1838 —Ip Conspectus, 1850, 527.—Bon. & Scutecer, Mon. Loxiens, 5, tab. vii— 
Newserry, Zool. California and Oregon Route, P. R. R. Rep. VI, 1y, 1857,°87. 
Loxia curvirostra, Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, No. 23.—Avp. Biog. I, 1834, 559: V, 511; pl. 197.—Is. Birds 
Amer. III, 1841, 186 ; pl. 200. ° 
‘© Lowia pusilla, InticER.’’ (Bp.) 
‘* Loxia fusca, ViEILLoT.’’ (Bp.) 
Sp. Cu.—Male dull red; darkest a¢ross the back ; wings and tail dark ackish 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 6 inches ; wing, 3.30; tail, 2.25. 
Hab.—North America generally, coming southward in winter. Resident in the mountains of Pennsylvania. 
The immature and young birds exhibit all imaginable combinations of the colors of the male 
and female. They all agree in the entire absence of white bands on the wings. 
IT have not enough materials before me to determine whether western specimens differ from 
eastern. One (4476) has a larger bill and longer, more pointed wings than any”eastern skin I 
