XVIII 
THE CROSSBILL BRANCH 
(Fringillide) — Continued 
Tue fourth branch of this family is of cross- 
bills. Of these we have two. They are smaller 
than grosbeaks, and, as their name shows, have 
the two points of the bill crossed. It looks as 
if they could not feed themselves. But a beak 
like this is just fitted to pick seeds out of cones. 
And crossbills live mostly on cone-seeds. 
These queer beaks are used for another thing, 
too. They help the birds climb around on the 
trees. They are almost as good asa hand. You 
have seen a parrot use his beak in the same way. 
The AmeEriIcAN, or Rep, Crosspiuu is the 
more common of our two. He travels about all 
over the Northern States and California. But 
he’s very particular about a place to nest, and is 
suited only in the northern parts, or in the 
mountains. 
The red crossbill seems to be a whimsical fel- 
