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GENUS LOXIA — LINN. 



CROSSBILL. 



[Bill higher than broad at the base, much compressed toward the end — upper 

 mandible rather long, projecting considerably beyond the lower, decurved — lower 

 mandible recurved, crossing each other, tips acute — nostrils covered with re- 

 cumbent feathers — head rather large — neck short — body compact — wings mod- 

 erate — tail emarginate ] 



LOXIA CURVIROSTRA— LINN. 



COMMON CROSSBILL. 



American Crossbill, curvirostra Americana, Wils. Amer. Orn. 



Loxia curvirostra, Bonap. Syn. 



Common Crossbill, Nult. Man. 



Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Bill very strong; wings without bands. — 

 Adult male bright red, the wings and tail feathers blackish-brown. 

 Female with the upper parts grayish-brown, tinged with green ; 

 lower parts pale grayish-yellow ; wings blackish-brown. Length 

 seven inches, wing three and a half. 



On Long Island this species is by no means common. During 

 winter a few visit us from the North. Its favorite resort is the pine 

 forest, and it is generally observed on the tops of the tallest trees. 

 Its food consists chiefly of seeds which it extracts from the 

 cones of the pine, for which purpose its strong and singularly 

 formed bill is well adapted. 



