L. CURVIROSTRA AMERICANA: RED CROSSBILL. 221 



AMERICAN RED CROSSBILL. 



LOXIA CURVIROSTRA AMERICANA ( Wtls.) Coues. 



Chars. Male, adult : Bricky-red, not rosy, the feathers of the back 

 with dusky centres ; wings and tail dusky, without white bars. 

 The shade of red varies interminably, but is probably never of 

 the rosy hue characteristic of L. leucoplera. Young birds and 

 females resemble each other and the corresponding conditions 

 of leucoptera, but have no white on the wings. Bronzy-red and 

 even yellow males are sometimes seen. Young males changing 

 show confused characters of the two sexes ; besides the yellow 

 regularly present in the female and young, there is often a good 

 deal of saffron or gamboge coloring of immature males. Size 

 of the last species. 



The remarks made respecting the White-winged 

 Crossbill are equally applicable to the present species, 

 with the single exception that the Red Crossbill is 

 much more numerous than its relative. It is therefore, 

 but only for this reason, more to be depended upon as 

 a regular migrant and winter visitant in southern New 

 England ; for its disposition is not less freaky, nor are 

 its movements less erratic, than in the case of the 

 White-winged. Both species in fact are often seen to- 

 gether, in relative numbers corresponding to the greater 

 general abundance of the Red Crossbill. Probably 

 for the same reason more has been learned of the nidi- 

 fication of the latter. We have the excellent authori- 

 ty of Mr. Boardman for its nesting in Maine during 

 the month of February. A Vermont instance first 

 published by Dr. Brewer is also in full circulation now, 

 and we faithfully repeat that Mr. Charles S. Paine 

 found a nest on an upper branch of a leafless elm in 

 East Randolph, early in March, when the ground was 



