316 OUR NATIVE SONGSTERS. 



to accomplisli. Holding the fir-cone witli one foot, 

 and with the firm, sharp beak, extracting the ker- 

 nels, the crossbill makes a loud, snapping noise, 

 while throwing the empty cones to the ground, 

 one after another, as its appetite is being satisfied. 

 This beak becomes somewhat worn by long use ; 

 but as it grows continually, it is renewed. 



The young crossbills, while in their nest, have 

 the mandibles of equal size, as their crossing would 

 prevent the nestlings from receiving so well the 

 food brought them by their parents. Their strong 

 beaks are sometimes very destructive to cages in 

 which they are confined ; and Mr. Yan-ell quotes 

 a passage from Mr. Townsend, on some of the 

 little mischievous tricks of these beautiful birds. 

 "My pets," says this gentleman, "would often 

 come to my table while I was wTiting, and carry 

 off my pencils, little chip boxes in Avhich I occa- 

 sionally kept insects, and other similar objects, 

 and tear them to pieces in a minute. Their mode 

 of operation is by first pecking a little hole ; in 

 this they insert their bill, and then split and tear 

 the object by the lateral force. When I treated 

 them, as I often did, with almonds in their shells, 

 they got at the kernels in the same manner ; first, 



