1887.] Wayne on the American Crossbill in South Carolina. 287 



THE AMERICAN CROSSBILL (LOXIA CUR VI- 



ROSTRA MINOR) IN LARGE NUMBERS NEAR 



CHARLESTON, S. C. 



BY ARTHUR T. WAYNE. 



It will doubtless be interesting to the readers of 'The Auk' to 

 know that the Red Crossbill has been very abundant at McPher- 

 sonville, a beautiful little village four miles from Yemassee and 

 about sixty miles from Charleston, during the months of Novem- 

 ber and December, 1SS6, and January and February, 1SS7. 



The first intimation I had of the bird in question as having 

 been captured near Charleston was from my friend Dr. G. E. 

 Manigault, the well-known osteologist, who called to tell me of 

 the good news on Sunday evening, in the early part of January, 

 1SS7. Dr. Manigault received a very fine adult male from a 

 gentleman at McPhersonville, to whom is due the credit of 

 adding the Red Crossbill to the birds of South Carolina. 



This gentleman is W. D. Gregorie, Esq., who has observed 

 the habits of birds around Yemassee and vicinity for years, and is 

 a great enthusiast in matters pertaining to ornithology, and whose 

 knowledge of the birds of that region is very great. 



I wrote Mr. Gregorie, in the latter part of January, to secure 

 specimens of the Crossbill for me, and after the lapse of a few 

 days I received from him three fine specimens, a male and two 

 females. I therefore resolved to explore the country around 

 Yemassee for a day, with the hope of seeing the bird alive, and 

 left Charleston on January 2S. The result of this day's trip 

 rewarded me by the capture of a female, which I shot out of a 

 pine tree one hundred feet high ; the bird was feeding on a burr. 

 I also had the pleasure of seeing a large flock of about twenty 

 individuals. I secured during my stay only a single example. 

 Although I was somewhat discouraged, 1 did not give up hope, 

 but determined to visit Yemassee again and explore the country 

 thoroughly. 



During my stay at Yemassee, from February 5 to 14, I was 

 the guest of Mr. Gregorie, and he took me to the best locali- 

 ties where I would be sure to get the Crossbills. My stay 

 was a very pleasant and satisfactory one and I will give the 

 result in detail : On February 7, I shot thirteen examples, five 



