180 THE PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



wise coating the seeds with red-lead is cheap and effective. Tying threads 

 or twine across the beds, with white feathers, &c., knotted into them, 

 is also serviceable, but scarecrows are merely of temporary use. The 

 Crossbill feeds mostly on tree-seeds and berries. After biting off Spruce 

 or Pine cones,' it uses its mandibles to displace the bracts and lay bare 

 the seed, or else it splits open the scales of the cone from above downwards 

 until it gets the seed lying at the base. The damage done is often great, 

 as the birds frequently come in large flocks. Sometimes it also (like 

 Blackcock) picks the buds from young Scots Pine plants. 



