A DEXTEROUS OPERATOR. 263 



hundreds of these birds, busily engaged in shelling the seeds of the 

 berries, which hung in clusters on a clump of rowan trees. So intent 

 were they on satisfying their hunger, that they took not the least 

 heed of me. They clung to the twigs in all sorts of postures, and 

 went through the operation of feeding in a quiet and business-like 

 manner, each attending to its own affairs. It was indeed a pleasant 

 sight to see how the little creatures fluttered among the twigs, all in 

 continued action, like so many bees on a cluster of flowers in sun- 

 shine after rain. Their brilliant colours, so much more gaudy than 

 those of our common birds, seemed to convert the rude scenery 

 around into that of some far distant land, where the Redbird sports 

 among the mangolia flowers. In that year flocks of these birds were 

 observed in various parts of Scotland ; but although I have obtained 

 numerous specimens in a recent state, I have not since had an op- 

 portunity of seeing living individuals. 



A correspondent of the ' Magazine of Natural History/ 

 writing in January 1834, has a minute description of the 

 habits of this bird : 



From October 1821 to the middle of May 1822, Crossbills were very 

 numerous in this country, and, I believe, extended their flights into 

 many parts of England. Large flocks frequented some plantations of 

 fir trees in this vicinity from the beginning of November to the fol- 

 lowing April. I have seen them, hundreds of times, when on the 

 larch, cut the cone from the branch with their beak, and, holding it 

 firmly in both claws, as a Hawk would a bird, extract the seeds with 

 the most surprising dexterity and quickness. I do not mean to assert 

 this to be their general habit ; but it was very frequently done when 

 feeding on the larch. I have never seen them attempt the like me- 

 thod with cones of the Scotch or other species of pine, which would 

 be too bulky for them to manage. Their method with these, and, of 

 course, most frequently with the larch, was to hold firmly on the cone 

 with their claws ; and, while they were busily engaged in this manner, 

 I have captured great numbers ; many with a horse-hair noose, fixed 

 to the end of a fishing-rod, which I managed to slip over the head 

 when they were feeding, and by drawing it quickly towards the body, 

 I easily secured them ; others I took with a limed twig, fixed in such 

 a manner in the end of the rod, that on touching the bird it became 

 immediately disengaged from it, adhered to the feathers, rendered the 

 wings useless, and caused the poor bird to fall perfectly helpless on 

 the ground. In this manner, in windy weather, I have taken several 

 from the same tree, without causing any suspicion of danger. On 

 warm sunny days, after feeding a considerable time, they would sud- 

 denly take wing, and, after flying round for a short time in full chorus, 

 alight on some lofty tree in the neighbourhood of the plantations, 

 warbling to each other in low pleasing strains ; they would also fly 

 from the trees occasionally for the purpose of drinking, their food 

 being of so dry a nature. 



