86 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



except for buff tips to wing-coverts and sometimes a few 

 striped juvenile-feathers. 



Measurements and structure. — ^ wing 95-100 mm., tail 54-60, 

 tarsus 15-18, bill depth at base 10.5-12, length of upper mandible 

 from feathers 16.5-20 (20 measured). $ ^\-ing 91-98. Primaries : 

 1st minute and hidden, 2nd and 3rd longest and about equal, 

 4th 2 mm. shorter, 5th 7 shorter, 6th 17 shorter ; 3rd to 

 5th emarginated outer webs. Longest secondaries between 8th 

 and 9th primaries. Tail deeply forked. Small, bristle-like feathers 

 cover nostrils and at gape. Bill massive, mandibles at tips crossed 

 and much curved, lower mandible upwards and upper downwards, 

 sharply pointed and with scissor-like cutting-edges. Upper 

 mandible longer than under. Crossing may be in either direction. 

 In nestlings and for a week or two after leaving nest, mandibles 

 are not crossed, upper being hooked and slightly longer than lower. 



Soft 'parts. — Bill, legs, feet, and iris dark brown, with a 

 yellowish mark along cutting-edges of mandibles. Nestling's bill 

 before it is crossed is pale yellowish towards tip. 



Characters and allied forms. — For differences of L. c. scotica, 

 see under that form ; other forms differ chiefly in size and shape 

 of bill, and in general measurements, but little in coloration. 



Field-characters. — Being usually possible, owing to its tameness, 

 to examine it at close quarters, crossed mandibles, varying plumages 

 due to age and sex, and its Parrot-like postures are easily recog- 

 nisable. Cannot be satisfactorily distinguished in field from 

 Scottish or Parrot-Crossbill, but absence ot double white wing-bars 

 separates it at all ages from Two-barred Crossbill. Flight rapid 

 and undulating. Call-note a loud incisive " gyp, gyp," uttered 

 on wing as well as from perch. Conifers are largely resorted to 

 for sake of their seeds, and the birds, which are very gregarious, 

 often keep up a subdued chatter, inaudible at any distance, whilst 

 feeding. Song, a low warble ; has been likened to that of Starling. 



Breeding-habits. — Haunts coniferous woods, frequently nesting 

 in clumps or belts of Scots firs, not as a rule in thickest part, but 

 by preference on outskirts of forest. Nests at varj^ing heights, 

 sometimes not more than 6 ft. from ground. Nest. — Charac- 

 teristic : strong foundation of fir-twigs, with superstructure of 

 grasses, wool, etc., lined grass, rabbit's fm-, hair, feathers, etc. ; 

 somewhat flattened in shape. £^ggs. — Usually 4, sometimes 3 

 only, rarely 5. Ground greenish-white (sometimes faint reddish 

 flush) with few bold spots and streaks of purple-red, sometimes 

 blackish, generally at big end ; in some cases markings faint. 

 Average of 25 Norfolk eggs 22.32 x 16.06 mm. Breeding-season. 

 — Irregular : some laying Jan. and Feb., mostly March and 

 early April ; sometimes also June and July. Incubation. — 

 Lasts 12 days ; apparently performed by hen only. Sometimes 

 double brooded. 



