28 FRINGILLID^. 



Loxia bifasciata, Bec-croise a double bande, DEGLAND, Orn. Eur. 



t. i. p. 180. 



BON. et SCHL. Hon. 



Lox. p. 7, pi. 8. 



IN a Fauna of Belgium, published in 1842, the author, 

 M. Edm. de Selys-Longchamps, a distinguished Natural- 

 ist, made known, at page 77, the specific distinctions of 

 two species of White-winged Crossbills, which, up to that 

 time, had, by several Ornithologists, been considered iden- 

 tical : the rarity of both species in Europe, and the con- 

 sequent difficulty of comparing them together, may readily 

 be granted as a sufficient excuse. 



M. de Selys-Longchamps' distinctions may be thus para- 

 phrased : 



The American White -winged The European White -winged 



Crossbill. Crossbill. 



Loxia leucoptera (GMELIN). Loxia bifasciata (NILSSON). 

 fakirostra (LATHAM). 



In size smaller than a Sparrow. In size larger than a Sparrow. 



Beak small, very much com- Beak almost as large as that of 

 pressed, the points slender and the Common Crossbill ; less corn- 

 elongated, pressed than the same part in the 



American bird, the points less crossed 

 over, and less elongated. 



The tail greatly forked. The tail less forked. 



The males I have seen have the The males I have seen have the 

 plumage of a brilliant crimson, the plumage dull brick red, the tail- 

 tail black ; the feathers with little feathers more obviously bordered 

 or no bordering. with yellow. 



Inhabits the United States of Has been observed accidentally 



America, and about Hudson's in winter in Belgium, England, 



Bay. Sweden, and Bavaria. 



Such are the distinctions pointed out in the Fauna, to 

 which I may add, that the claw of the hind toe in the 

 American bird is both longer and stouter than that of the 

 European species. 



The White-winged Crossbill was described by Dr. La- 

 tham, in the third volume of his General Synopsis, page 



