344 TEN YEARS IN SWEDEN. 



fact, although I have not had so many opportunities of 

 examining specimens of the parrot as of the common cross- 

 bill, I have seen enough to prove to me, that neither 

 this nor the other obtain their full red plumage at the first 

 autumnal moult, as most naturalists have erroneously stated. 



I need here only remark, that the parrot crossbill is 

 everywhere rarer than the common crossbill ; and another 

 curious fact I have remarked, is, that we never have 

 the two breeding together in our forest in the same year. 

 I fancy this depends much upon the state of the cones. 

 The parrot crossbill feeds more upon the pine cones, 

 the common crossbill on the fir cones. 



I have heard some hazard an opinion that these birds 

 are not distinct species, but such an idea cannot be enter- 

 tained by any one, who, like myself, has had the opportunity 

 of watching the birds in a state of nature, and does not 

 merely study dry skins. 



148. L. CUEVIROSTRA, L. Mindre Korsniibb. The Common 



Crossbill. D. F. 



The beak is not so high as the length of the under 

 mandible, the long sharp point of which almost always 

 reaches over the top edge of the upper mandible. 

 Length, 6^ in.; wing breadth, 11^ in. ; tail, 2 in. 2 1.; 

 tarsus, 5-- in. 



With regard to the changes of plumage in the cross- 

 bills, the following statements are the results of several 

 years 5 observations. 



The first dress, which is changed at the first autumnal 

 moult, is greenish brown in both sexes, longitudinally 

 streaked with darker brown, in fact very like the nest 

 plumage. I believe that the parrot crossbill is subject to 

 much the same changes as the common bird. 



After the first autumnal moult, the body plumage is 

 much the same, but all the under parts, are tinged in the 

 young males with yellow- orange. In the females, much 

 brighter yellow. In the young males, the heads and 

 rumps are orange ; in the females, only tinged with yellow. 



