324 THE CROSS-BILLS. 



and by adopting this precaution, a large portion of the flock 

 may be made prisoners in succession. 



The chief resorts of the pine bullfinch are Barr-skogar, 

 where it feeds on the seeds of the Scotch fir and spruce-pine, 

 extracting them from the cone in a very masterly manner. 

 Hence its Swedish appellation of Tall-bit, or fir-biter. In 

 the autumn and winter it feeds on the mountain-ash berry, 

 as also on the berries of Sorbus Scandica (Fries), the 

 hawthorn, and the juniper, of which, however, it only eats 

 the kernels. 



The nest of this bird, according to Swedish naturalists, is 

 placed in a tree at some ten to fifteen feet from the ground, 

 and near to the stem. It is composed of twigs, and lined 

 with grass or other soft substances. In June the female lays 

 from three to four eggs, of a bluish-green colour, thinly 

 sprinkled with black-grey and liver-coloured spots, which 

 at the thicker end are in near proximity to each other, and 

 form a sort of wreath. 



The pine bullfinch is readily domesticated, and within a 

 very few days after capture becomes so familiar as to feed 

 out of the hand ; and what is more remarkable, even if 

 restored to liberty, will presently, of its own accord, return 

 to the cage. When in confinement, it is an enormous eater. 



The Parrot Cross-Bill (Storre Kors-Nabb, or Greater 

 Cross-Bill, Sw. ; Loxla Pytiopsittacus, Bechst.). This bird 

 was pretty common with us, as also in all the Barr-skogar 

 from Scania to far beyond the polar circle ; less so, however, 

 in the southern than in the more central and northern parts 

 of the peninsula. M. von Wright met with it in the vicinity 

 of Karesuando ; but for all I know to the contrary, it may be 



