tinental 

 Europe. 



81 



35. Two-l)arre(l Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera Ibifaseiata (Brehm). 



Plate 34, fig. 18 (Archangel, 4. V. 92). 



Eggs: Baedeker, Tab. 20, fig. 10. 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: Krivka hilokridld. Denmark: Hoidvinget 

 Korsnaeb. Finland: Kirjasiipi kdpylintu. Germany: Zweihindiger Kreiiz- 

 schnabel. Helgoland: Witt-jilkhed Borrfink. Hungary: Szalagos keresztczorii. 

 Italy: Crociere fasciato. Norway: Hoidvinget Korsnaeb. Poland: Krzyzodziob 

 divupregoivy. Sweden: Bdndel or Norsk Korsnab, Pipkrums. 



Loxia bifasciata (C. L. Brehm). Newton, ed. Yarrell, II, p. 211; 

 Dresser, Birds of Europe, IV, p. 141; id. Man. Pal. Birds, p. 343; Saunders, 

 Man., p. 203. L. leucoptera bifasciata (Brehm). Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, 

 p. 123. 



Breeding Range: Northern European Russia. [Also Siberia; but 

 perhaps the eastern birds may form a separate race, L. leucoptera elegans 

 Horn. See Vog. Pal Fauna, p. 124.] 



Although well known as an erratic visitor to Scandinavia and Finland Con 

 in varying numbers, this bird has not been definitely recorded as breeding 

 there, but a nest ascribed to it was taken near Upsala in March 1890. 

 Its home appears to be the great forests of the Archangel Government, 

 but it is not found in the Kola peninsula, and its range northward naturally 

 does not extend beyond the limits of the coniferous forest. Reliable notes 

 on the breeding of this species are much to be desired. 



Dresser describes a nest from the Archangel district as smaller and Nest, 

 slighter than that of the Common Crossbill. The dimensions given by 

 0. Bamberg [Zeitschr. f. Ool. 1904, p. 52) of two nests ascribed to this 

 species from the Lena valley are approximately as follows: external dia- 

 meter b\ — 1-\ in., height 24^ — 2| in., diameter of cup 2{ — 2 f in., depth 

 1 — 1\ in. The foundation of these nests consisted of fir twigs, stalks, 

 lichens and moss, with dead leaves interwoven, lined with lichens, roots, 

 down and small feathers. 



3 — 4 in number, and 5 are said sometimes to occur. Four eggs Eggs. 

 from Archangel in the British Museum average 20.8 X 14.7 mm., and are 

 thus decidedly smaller than those of the Common Crossbill, besides being 

 more boldly marked. On the other hand Ottosson describes an egg from 

 Siberia as 22.6 X 15.9 mm., weight 135 mg., and an egg in Rey's col- 

 lection measures 22.4 X 16 mm. and weighs 160 mg. Bamberg describes 

 the eggs as averaging (17 specimens) 23.52 X 16.6 mm.. Max. 24.6 X 16.4 

 and 23.2 X 17.4 mm., Min. 22.5 X 16.1 and 24.1 X 16 mm., average weight 

 154 mg., varying from 138 to 168 mg. If these measurements are correct 

 the eggs exceed the normal size of eggs of L. pytyopsittacus, but it is 

 worthy of note that the eggs of the American White winged Crossbill, 



6 



