THE FINCHES 1577 



under surfaces. It was replaced in the tree, from which it must have subsequently 

 fallen, for a nestling was found in the adjoining field and placed in a cage near the 

 nesting tree, where the old crossbills, which had other young in the trees, continued 

 to feed it often in the presence of observers. In the meantime it became accustomed 

 to feed on bruised hemp seed when it was removed to the house, where it soon be- 

 came full grown and tame. The notes of the last pair of crossbills, when excited, 

 used often to attract another pair the male a red one that frequented the neigh- 

 boring trees, and which on such occasions would join their neighbors in the excite- 

 ment; their nest was discovered by the birds being seen carrying building materials 

 to it. They picked up bits of hay off the ground, not heeding the observer standing 

 near them." 



Although the crossbill appears to reside permanently in many parts of its range, 

 there can be no doubt of its roving habits; in certain years great flights appearing 

 in the British Isles, and taking up their abode in parts of the country well planted 

 with belts of fir trees, as was the case in 1888, when numbers of these birds were 

 reported as having made their appearance in different parts. Sometimes, too, large 

 flocks appear on their journey across the North Sea, and in June 1888, crossbills 

 visited the island of Heligoland in numerous flights, varying from ten to fifty birds. 

 Hawthorns in the gardens were then crowded with them, and on some days there 

 must have been hundreds dispersed among the foliage. A single straggler was 

 caught about the same time on board the Bull, a light vessel, off the mouth of the 

 H umber. The change and coloration of the plumage of the crossbill has given rise 

 to some amount of discussion, but we are inclined to adopt the views set forth in the 

 British Museum Catalogue of Birds. In the full plumage the adult male is pale 

 vermilion above, the feathers having dusky bases; the crown of the head is pale ver- 

 milion, like the back and under surface; the primaries and tail feathers are dark 

 brown; and the lower abdomen, the sides of the body, and the flanks ashy brown 

 washed with vermilion. After the first molt the tints of the male become more 

 orange and uniform, but the flanks are striped, and there are also more or less 

 striped feathers about the other portions of the body. It is now conclusively proved 

 that the bright colors of the male are gradually assumed, and that it takes two or 

 even three molts before the full red plumage is gained. The plumage of the female 

 differs from the male in being olive yellow, where the latter is red; the head, lower 

 back, and rump being much brighter than the mantle, which is dusky brown, while 

 the under surface of the body is yellow, with ashy bases to the feathers. 



There has been some doubt whether there is more than one species of cross- 

 bill, and on this subject Mr. Gates, in his Birds of British India, writes as follows: 

 ; 'The crossbills of the Himalayas (L. himalayana) form a very small race, which 

 I think it advisable to keep distinct. There is a very marked difference in size be- 

 tween the Himalayan birds and L. c^lrvirostra, from Northern Europe, on the one 

 hand, and L. japonica, from Japan, on the other, and the only crossbills which 

 approach the Indian birds in size are from America. Sharpe's view that all these 

 crossbills form but one species is no doubt correct; at the same time the Himalayan 

 crossbills are in my opinion quite distinguishable from all others in size, and it is 

 consequently more convenient to retain them as distinct. ' ' The range of the small 



