THE COMMON CROSSBILL. 1 75 



fic against epilepsy, to which, as well as to apoplexy, the Cross- 

 bills are subject. 



Mode of Taking. In either Autumn or Spring, they are easy 

 to catch by means of a decoy. A stake, to which strong limed 

 twigs have been attached, is fixed, with the decoy bird at its 

 side, in some forest glade to which the birds are observed to 

 resort. They will certainly be lured to the twigs by the ' gip, 

 gip, gipS of the decoy. In some parts of Thuringia, the coun- 

 try-people place spring-traps in the tops of the pines, a favour- 

 ite haunt of the bird, and hang a good decoy in a cage on the 

 highest branches. As soon as one bird perches, the others follow ; 

 and as many are often caught as there are traps, if the sticks 

 on which the birds are to perch, are alone allowed to project. 



Attractive Qualities. The Crossbill is rather a silly bird in a 

 cage, and uses its bill and feet for purposes of locomotion, like the 

 Parrot. If in health, it swings its body up and down like a Siskin, 

 and utters its harsh and unmelodious song. The males, however, 

 are not all alike in this respect, for the amateur prefers those 

 which often utter the ringing note like " Reitz" or " J&eitz," 

 called the Crossbill's crow. It becomes so tame, that it may 

 be carried in the open air on the finger, and accustomed to fly 

 in and out of the house. 



ADDITIONAL. In this country these curious birds appear only 

 as occasional visitants, and that at very irregular periods, and in 

 different parts of the country ; " generally confining themselves," 

 says MACGILLIVRAY, " to the fir plantations, in which they find 

 their favourite food." We extract the following from a very in- 

 teresting account of the manners of this species by J. D. HOT, 

 Esq., of Stoke Nayland, Suffolk, first published in London's 

 Magazine of Natural History : " From October, 1821, to the 

 middle of May, 1822, Crossbills were very numerous in this county, 

 and, I believe, extended their flights into many parts of England. 

 Large flocks frequented some plantations of fir trees in this vi- 

 cinity, from the beginning of November to the following April. 

 I had almost daily opportunities of watching their movements ; 

 and so remarkably tame were they, that, when feeding on fir trees 

 not more than fifteen or twenty feet high, I have often stood in 

 the midst of the flock, unnoticed and unsuspected. I have seen 

 them, hundreds of times, when on the larch, cut the cone from 

 the branch with their beak, and holding it firmly in both claws, 

 as a Hawk would a bird, extract the seeds with the most surprising 

 dexterity and quickness. 



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