I 



AMERICAN CROSSBILL. 159 



this, be the criterion by which to judge of a species; or perhaps 

 conceiving themselves the wiser of the two, they have thought 

 proper to associate together what Nature has, in the most point- 

 ed manner, placed apart. 



In separating these birds, therefore, from the Grosbeaks, and 

 classing them as a family by themselves, substituting the specific 

 for the generic appellation, I have only followed the steps and 

 dictates of that great Original, whose arrangements ought never 

 to be disregarded by any who would faithfully copy her. 



The Crossbills are subject to considerable changes of colour; 

 the young males of the present species being, during the first 

 season, olive yellow mixed with ash ; then bright greenish yellow 

 intermixed with spots of dusky olive; all of which yellow plu- 

 mage becomes, in the second year, of a light red, having the 

 edges of the tail inclining to yellow. When confined in a cage 

 they usually lose the red colour at the first moulting, that tint 

 changing to a brownish yellow, which remains permanent. 

 The same circumstance happens to the Purple Finch and Pine 

 Grosbeak, both of which, when in confinement, exchange their 

 brilliant crimson for a motley garb of light brownish yellow; as 

 I have had frequent opportunities of observing. 



The male of this species, when in perfect plumage, is five 

 inches and three quarters long, and nine inches in extent; the 

 bill is a brown horn colour, sharp, and single edged towards the 

 extremity, where the mandibles cross each other; the general 

 colour of the plumage is a red-lead colour, brightest on the rump, 

 generally intermixed on the other parts with touches of olive; 

 wings and tail brown black, the latter forked, and edged with 

 yellow; legs and feet brown; claws large, much curved, and 

 very sharp; vent white, streaked with dark ash; base of the bill 

 covered with recumbent down, of a pale brown colour; eye 

 hazle. 



The female is rather less than the male; the bill of a paler 

 horn colour; rump, tail coverts and edges of the tail golden yel- 

 low; wings and tail dull brownish black; the rest of the plumage 

 olive yellow mixed with ash; legs and feet as in the male. The 



