The Crossbill 261 



THE CROSSBILL. (Loxia curvirostra.) 



THE CROSSBILL is a native of the vast pine foiesls of 

 northern Europe, and is by no means abundant in Eng- 

 land. The bill of this singular bird is of considerable 

 length, and the mandibles towards the point are very 

 sharp and strong, curved in opposite directions, so that 

 when closed the points cross each other, from which the 

 bird derives his name. This curious organization enables 

 them to obtain their food, which chiefly consists of the 

 seeds of the cones of the fir, with the greatest facility 

 These seeds, for a considerable time after they have 

 ripened, are so firmly enclosed within their ligneous 

 scales, that the bill of no ordinary bird could reach them. 

 Fixing itself across the cone, the Crossbill brings the 

 mandibles of its beak immediately over each other, and 

 insinuates them between the scales, then forcing them 

 laterally, the scales open. The mandibles are again 

 brought in contact, between the scales, and the bird then 

 picks out the seed with their tips. It is very interesting 

 to find that a structure so anomalous as that of the bill 

 of the Crossbill is really beneficial to the creature, and 

 not, as was formerly rather flippantly asserted, a defect 

 or error of nature. 



