CROSSBILLS. 345 



The striped feathers of the young are very apparent in both, 

 all through the winter and following spring. They breed in 

 this dress, which I fancy lasts them for one whole year. 



I never saw the slightest indication that the plumage 

 of the male would become red until the next moult, and 

 I think this does not take place till the following autumn, 

 and that then it will not be deep red, but orange yellow- 

 red, for we find this colour in the birds breeding in this dress 

 in February and March, although I believe a change in plum- 

 age may take place in May. It is clear that the bird does 

 not become red at once, because these orange-red birds 

 are not birds of the previous year, at least those which 

 we find breeding in March . I am of opinion that the full 

 red dress is not assumed until the third autumnal moult, 

 and the males breed in two intermediate stages of plumage 

 before it is resumed; because we find in the same forest, 

 and at the same time, the males breeding in all these three 

 stages of plumage. 



I have proved that the very old parrot crossbill, becomes 

 yellow-green with age in a state of nature, although I never 

 obtained an old male common crossbill in this plumage. 



In the summer, the red dress of the male crossbill 

 seems to become darker. 



The breeding habits of both species are alike, save that 

 the parrot crossbill appears to go to nest a little later than 

 the other. 



The pairing season begins with us in January, the birds 

 to breed in February. This is rather dependent on the 

 season, but when we do get the nests, we never take the first 

 later than the beginning of March, and after April we 

 never take one with fresh eggs. The nest is placed on 

 the top of a small pine, very rarely in a fir, never in the 

 depth of the forest, but always on a stony rise where the 

 trees are small, and stand wide apart. The nest (always 

 open, even in the most inclement weather) of both species 

 is much alike, coarsely built of sticks, lined with moss and 

 grass. The eggs, three, much resemble those of the green 

 linnet, but are larger. The egg of the parrot crossbill 



