WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



and other tough pericarps, upon the contents of 

 which they feed; or whether it is an accident per- 

 petuated and made the best of; or whether the 

 crossed bill was "created" in that fashion in the 

 beginning, with a definite intention towards pine- 

 cones, we may theorize upon to suit our tastes; 

 but certain it is that it answers the bird's purpose 

 most admirably. The red crossbill is the more 

 common of the two, but the white-winged is not 

 greatly different. They fly in small flocks, often 

 coming among the gardens, where their odd ap- 

 pearance never fails to attract attention. In ad- 

 dition to pine-seeds, they feed on the seeds and 

 buds of the cedar, birch, alder, mountain-ash, 

 Virginia creeper, etc., and probably add apples, 

 haws, and berries to their bill of fare, as does the 

 grossbeak. They are wonderfully happy creat- 

 ures, fluttering in and out of the evergreens, or 

 passing swiftly from one to another, working away 

 at a swinging cone " teeth and toe-nail,'' heads or 

 tails up — it doesn't matter — till every kernel is 

 extracted, then with one quick impulse launching 

 into the air and departing — perhaps for the arctic 

 circle — before you have had time to bid them good- 

 bye. Both are irregular in their coming and num- 

 bers. 



65 



