NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 289 



521. Loxia curvirostra minor (Brehm.) [172.] 



American Crossbill. 



Hab. North America in general, but chiefly the northern portion and east of the Plains; resident 

 sparingly southward in the Eastern United States to Maryland and Virginia near the coast, and to Northern 

 Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky in the mountains. 



A curious bird, whose home is in boreal regions ; and at times, 

 even during the season of reproduction, straggles far southward. The 

 American Red Crossbill is known to breed in Northern New England, 

 and from thence northward. Breeds sporadically in mountainous re- 

 gions south as far as New York, Pennsylvania, Central Maryland, Vir- 

 ginia, Northern Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. It may be found 

 breeding where least expected. The nesting time is usually in Febru- 

 ary and March, while the snow is yet on the ground. 



In the Lower Hudson Valley, Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell found a nest 

 of this species on the 30th of April, containing three eggs. The nest 

 was placed in a cedar of rather scanty foliage, about eighteen feet from 

 the ground, and was without any main support, being built in a mass 

 of small, tangled twigs. The composition externally was of spruce 

 twigs, loosely arranged ; the main body of the structure was a mass of 

 matted shreds of cedar bark, while the inside was felted by finer 

 material, and lined with horse-hair, fine rootlets, grass stems, pieces of 

 string and two or three feathers. The structure also contained small 

 pieces of moss, leaves, grass, string, cottony substances, and the green 

 foliage of cedar.* 



The eggs are three or four in number, usually four. Mr. Bick- 

 nell gives the sizes of the three eggs which this nest contained as 

 .74X.56, .75X.58, .78X.59 respectively. The color of the eggs is pale 

 greenish, spotted and dotted about the larger end with various shades 

 of brown and lavender shell-markings; average size .75X.57. 



522. Loxia leucoptera Gmel. [173.] -I^ 



\)yiiite-'winged Crossliill. 



Hab. Northern North America, south into the United States in winter to Or beyond 40°. Breeds from 

 Northern New England and higher Rocky Mountains northward. 



This is not so common a species as the Red Crossbill, although 

 they are both frequently found associated in deep evergreen woods. 

 The White-winged Crossbill is resident in Northern New England, and 

 from the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana 

 northward. It is possessed of the same uncertain and erratic disposition 

 as L, c. minor ^ and its movements are not to be relied upon ; for this 

 reason, it is likely to be found breeding in suitable places in any of the 

 northern tier of States. It breeds in winter or early spring, and the 

 nesting is said to be like that of the Red Crossbill. The eggs are de- 



* For full account of this nest and the eggs, see Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, Vol. V, pp. 7-H. 



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