FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 283 



This report shows that in ten years the progeny of a single pair of 

 Sparrows might amount to 275,716,983,698 ! It also states that during 

 the year 1886 the Sparrow added approximately 516,500 square miles 

 to the territory occupied by it. The day is evidently near at hand, 

 therefore, when the English Sparrow will be in complete possession of 

 the country. 



The EUROPEAN TREE SPARROW (Passer montanus) has become naturalized 

 in and about St. Louis, Missouri. 



521. Lioxia curvirostra minor (BreJim), AMERICAN CROSSBILL; 

 RED CROSSBILL. Ad. $. Tips of the mandibles crossed; body dull red, 

 brighter on the rump, browner on the back ; wings and tail fuscous. Ad. 9 . 

 Dull olive-green, yellower on the rump, indistinctly mottled with blackish on 

 the head and back, mixed with whitish on the under parts. Im. $ . Similar 

 to the 9 , or mixed red and green. L., 6-19 ; W., 3-40 ; T., 2-13 ; B., -66. 



Range. Breeds from the Northern States northward, and, in the Allegha- 

 nies, southward to the Carolinas ; in winter wanders irregularly southward, 

 sometimes reaching the Gulf States. 



Washington, irregular W. V., sometimes abundant. Sing Sing, irregu- 

 lar ; noted in almost every month. Cambridge, of irregular occurrence at all 

 seasons. 



Nest, of twigs and grasses, lined with bits of moss and rootlets, in conifer- 

 ous trees, fifteen to thirty feet up. Eggs, three to four, " pale greenish, spotted 

 and dotted about the larger end with various shades of brown and lavender 

 shell-markings, T75 x -57." 



These parrotlike Finches are famous for their erratic wanderings. 

 They seem to have no regard for the laws of migration which regu- 

 late the journeys of most birds, and, having no home ties, may linger 

 in regions which offer them abundant fare without much regard to 

 season. They nest early in the spring, sometimes when they are far 

 south of their breeding range, but they seem quite unconcerned by 

 their unusual surroundings, and their young are born and raised in 

 a foreign land. 



Coniferous forests form their natural surroundings, and their bills 

 are especially adapted to aid them in forcing off the scales from the 

 cones of these trees to obtain the seed within. 



They live in flocks, and when in the trees climb about like Parrots, 

 sometimes exhibiting as little fear of man as Polly on her pedestal. 

 When feeding, they have a short, whistled call-note ; they take wing in 

 a body, and their undulating flight is accompanied by a sharp click- 

 ing or whistled note. Their song is described as " varied and pleas- 

 ing, but not powerful or in any respect remarkable." 



522. Loxia leucoptera Gmel. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. Ad. $ . 

 Tips of the mandibles crossed ; body dull pink, brighter on the rump, more 



