WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



and other tough pericarps, upon the contents of 

 which they feed; or whether it is an accident per- 

 petuated and made the best of; or whether the 

 crossed bill was " created" in that fashion in the 

 beginning, with a definite intention towards pine- 

 cones, we may theorize upon to suit our tastes; 

 but certain it is that it answers the bird's purpose 

 most admirably. The red crossbill is the more 

 common of the two, but the white-winged is not 

 greatly different. They fly in small flocks, often 

 coming among the gardens, where their odd ap- 

 pearance never fails to attract attention. In ad- 

 dition to pine-seeds, they feed on the seeds and 

 buds of the cedar, birch, alder, mountain-ash, 

 Virginia creeper, etc., and probably add apples, 

 haws, and berries to their bill of fare, as does the 

 grossbeak. They are wonderfully happy creat- 

 ures, fluttering in and out of the evergreens, or 

 passing swiftly from one to another, working away 

 at a swinging cone " teeth and toe-nail/' heads or 

 tails up it doesn't matter till every kernel is 

 extracted, then with one quick impulse launching 

 into the air and departing perhaps for the arctic 

 circle before you have had time to bid them good- 

 bye. Both are irregular in their coming and num- 

 bers. 



