THE CROSSBILL. 315 



which was shot in the June of the following year, 

 which was so clingy as almost to warrant the con- 

 clusion that it had chosen a chimney for its sleep- 

 ing-place. The plumage, however, was continually 

 changing ; some getting more gTcen, or of brighter 

 red or orange; and when in their full feathers, the 

 birds became of rich crimson. 



Nothing can be more amusing than to watch the 

 crossbills when they first come to our plantations. 

 They keep up a perpetual twittering, as if they 

 Avere all in conversation togetlier, where all were 

 talkers and no listeners. They are far more active 

 than parrots ; but tliey remind one perpetually of 

 these birds, as with their strong feet they cling to 

 the branches, and swing themselves into the most 

 curious and picturesque attitudes. Sometimes they 

 hang horizontally, now they are perfectly upright 

 or flitting from bough to bough, swinging their 

 bodies to and fro the moment they alight. 



Their beak is most curiously formed ; for the 

 mandibles cross each other, sometimes from left to 

 right, and sometimes from right to left. Buffon 

 accounted this singular bill a deformity ; but it is 

 admirably adapted to the wants of the bird, and is 

 a most beautiful instrument for the purposes it has 



