LIST AND DESCRIPTION 111 



517. PURPLE FINCH (Carpodacus purpureus purpureus.) 



A rare summer resident in South Dakota. Thick bill; 

 forked tail; head, back and breast pinkish purple; lower belly 

 whitish; wings and tail slaty. About the size of the English 

 Sparrow, which the female and young resemble. While it has 

 none of the obnoxious habits of the English Sparrow, it is sup- 

 posed to be its nearest relative. 



521. CROSSBILL (Loxia curvirostra minor.) 



The Crossbill may be an annual resident in our western 

 tier of counties. It has been taken in the eastern part of the 

 State as a migrant. About the size of the English Sparrow. 

 As the name implies, the two halves of the bill are crossed, 

 adapting it for twisting seeds from pine cones. These seeds are 

 their main food and they often eat hanging to branches head 

 downward. 



Wings and tail slaty gray. Head, back and under parts 

 brownish red. Females and young dull olive green ; rump and 

 under parts tinged with yellow. 



522. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (Loxia leucoptera.) 



Size similar to the Crossbill ; range farther north ; irregu- 

 lar in migration during winter in South Dakota. 



Male dull carmine red, lighter on rump ; wings black with 

 two white bars; female and young brownish, tinged with yellow; 

 bill crossed as in the preceding species. The Crossbills are 

 great wanderers during winter and for that reason have been 

 called the "gypsies" among birds ; however, it may be said that 

 their habitat is the coniferous forests of North America. 



528. REDPOLL (Acanthis linaria linaria.) 



The somewhat obscured red crown patch and rosy breast 

 help to distinguish this cheery little bird in winter from numer- 

 ous Sparrows. It nests -in the northern part of the Northern 

 Hemisphere, but in winter it comes to us and may be seen feed- 

 ing on weed seeds, usually about the edges of groves. 



529. GOLDFINCH (Astragalinus tristis tristis.) 



This charming bird is frequently called "Wild Canary," but 

 there are no Wild Canaries in this country. Its black cap, wings 



