84 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Key to species of genus Loxia. 



(^ Wings with two white bars . . . . L. leucoptera, p. 89 



(Wings without distinct white bars ... 2 



(Larger, bill stouter. Width of lower mandible at base 

 equal to or more than length of gonys . L. pytyopsittacus, p. 88 



Smaller, bill slenderer. Width of lower mandible at 

 base less than length of gonys . . . L. curvirostra, p. 84 



LOXIA CURVIROSTRA 



;i^. Loxia curvirostra curvirostra L. — THE COMMON 

 CROSSBILL. 



Loxia cubvirostra Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 171 (1758 — Europe. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Loxia curvirostra anglica Hartert, Vog. pal. Fauna, i, p. 119; id., Brit. B., 



I, p. 209 ; c/. id. op. c, iii, p. 194. 



Loxia curvirostra Linnaeus, Yarrell, ii, p. 187 (part) ; Saunders, p. 201 



(part). 



Description (Plate 4). — Adult male. Winter. — Crown bright 

 pink to scarlet-pink with dark brown centres of feathers showing 

 here and there ; back of neck, mantle, and scapulars not so bright 

 and with more dark brown showing, especially on scapulars ; back 

 and rump brighter and more uniform than crown and with no 

 browTi ; upper tail-coverts dark brown, tinged pink ; lores and 

 round eyes black-brown with huffish tips ; ear-coverts as cro\^'n 

 but upper portions generally more brown ; throat, breast, and 

 flanks as rump but not quite so bright ; centre of belly dull greyish- 

 white ; lower flanks and under tail-coverts same but streaked 

 dark brown and usually tinged pink ; axillaries greyish- white, 

 fringed pink ; tail-feathers, primaries, and secondaries black-brown 

 with very narrow pinkish fringes on outer webs ; primary-, greater, 

 and median coverts same ; lesser coverts dark brown with pink 

 tips. N.B. — ^Adult males frequently have a few golden or greenish- 

 yellow feathers on upper- and under-parts. This plumage is 

 acquired by complete moult from July to Nov. Summer. — No 

 moult ; abrasion makes crimson more brilliant. As in Linnets, 

 Redpolls, and Grosbeaks, the rami only are pink and the radii 

 grey, and the wearing-off of latter (especially on distal portions 

 of rami) causes pink rami to become massed together, thus 

 giving more brilliant effect. Also, as in birds mentioned, crimson 

 becomes gold or yellow after moulting in captivity. There is 

 much individual variation in brilliancy both in summer and 

 winter. 



Adult female. Winter. — Crown yellowish-green mottled brown, 

 feathers being dark brown tipped yellowish-green and often on 

 fore-head with small ashy-grey tips ; nape and back of neck 

 streaked dark brown and ashy-grey, occasionally tinged green ; 



