THE CROSSBILL 107 



with their beaks of the normal shape, not attaining this 

 singular development for some time afterwards. This singular 

 shaped bill, however, is of great service to the Crossbill, 

 enabling it to split open with ease the fir and larch cones and 

 other seeds, which are enclosed in hard cases. So far its 

 structural peculiarities ; now let us attend to its life-history. 



The Common Crossbill is one of those birds which is 

 singularly uncertain in its appearance, and is best known as 

 a winter visitor to this country. Its migrations are very 

 irregular, and resemble those of the Snow Bunting and the 

 Waxwing. Crossbills may be remarkably plentiful one season 

 and not be seen again in any numbers for years. They are 

 equally capricious in the choice of a haunt, appearing suddenly 

 in one locality and remaining for weeks, then just as suddenly 

 disappearing again and not returning for many years. If they 

 stay and breed in a district one spring, it is by no means cer- 

 tain or probable that they will continue to do so the next, 

 except in the pine districts of the north, where the bird is of 

 tolerably regular residence. Crossbills are very gregarious 

 birds, and are more or less sociable throughout the year, even 

 in the breeding season, when little parties of males may often 

 be met with in the woods. If comparatively rare birds, they 

 are by no means shy ones, and allow the observer to approach 

 quite close and watch them climb about the branches in 

 quest of cones and berries, and to admire the rich contrast of 

 their brilliant upper plumage with the dark green firs. Their 

 actions in the branches very closely resemble those of a 

 Siskin or a Titmouse. Sometimes they climb about assisted 

 by their beak, like a Parrot. They cling to the extremities of 

 the twigs, where the finest cones are found, and dexterously 

 wrench them off and then convey them to the broader limbs, 

 where, holding them in their claw firmly wedged against the 

 bark, the strong bill with a peculiar twist soon breaks away the 

 outer covering and exposes the kernel. They are very restless 



