1 66 Bird-keeping. 



attractive, and is chiefly amusing from its cleverness 

 in extracting seeds from the fir-cones given to it, which 

 it holds like a parrot in its claws. It climbs up and 

 down its cage after the manner of a parrot, too, and 

 should have a bell-shaped wire one, as it would soon 

 destroy a wooden cage. It should be fed on canary, 

 rape, hemp, and fir-seeds, and may have juniper-berries 

 and an apple occasionally. The song is harsh and un- 

 melodious. Crossbills differ very much in their colour- 

 ing ; they are greenish-brown at first, but after the first 

 moulting the males become red, and keep this colour 

 for a year, when they acquire the greenish-yellow plu- 

 mage of the old males. As they moult at different 

 times, birds of varied colours are found together. In 

 confinement the young males never acquire the red 

 colour. The females are grey or speckled with 

 green. 



The PARROT CROSSBILL (Loxia pittyopsittacus) 

 now and then visits England : it must be treated in 

 every respect like the common Crossbill. Bechstein 

 says it is a very sociable bird and easily tamed, but 

 should not be allowed to range the room, as it is apt 

 to destroy books, shoes, etc., by gnawing them. 



The PINE GROSBEAK (Loxia or Corythus enucleater) 

 resembles the Crossbills in its habits, but the mandibles 

 are not crossed, but only hooked. It is very rarely 

 seen in England, but is more common in North Ger- 

 many, and Bechstein describes it as a favourite cage 



