340 LOXIA 



Hal. The northern portion of the Old and New Worlds, 

 ranging south through Europe to N. Africa; Asia, east to 

 Japan and south to the Himalayas and China ; America south 

 to Mexico. In Scotland it is resident. It is more a wanderer 

 than a migrant and nests nearly throughout its range, in the 

 south in elevated parts of the mountains. In its habits it is 

 very parrot-like, climbing about the conifer-trees, often with the 

 head downwards using both feet and bill in climbing. It feeds 

 on seeds of conifers and to some extent on insects and their larvae, 

 and is said to be useful in destroying large numbers of the noxious 

 caterpillars which are so destructive to forest-trees. When 

 feeding it is usually silent or utters a low, rather melodious 

 call-note, which in the spring is modulated into a sort of song, 

 simple but musical. Nidification commences early, eggs being 

 often found early in March, or even, before that. The nest is 

 usually placed in the fork at the top of a fir-tree, or on the 

 horizontal branches near the stem, and is constructed of twigs, 

 moss, lichens, and grass, lined with wool, hair, and rootlets. The 

 eggs usually 4 in number resemble those of the Greenfinch, and 

 are pale bluish white marked, chiefly at the larger end, with 

 small red and purple spots and dashes, and measure about 0'78 

 by 0-61. 



In size, coloration, and size of bill, the Crossbill varies 

 considerably, and has consequently been separated into many 

 species and subspecies, but I quite agree with Dr. Sharpe that 

 after examining a large series, it is impossible to recognise these. 

 Our European bird has been split up into three species or sub- 

 species, viz., L. curvirostra, inhabiting N. Europe, L. curvirostra 

 lalearica (Homeyer, J. f. O., 1862, p. 256) from the Balearic 

 Isles, and L. c.poliogyna (Whitaker, Ibis 1898, p. 625) from Tunis. 

 The Himalayan bird has been named L. himalayana Hodgs., the 

 Chinese L. albiventris Swinhoe, the Japanese L. japonica (Ridg.), 

 and Mr. Ridgway separates the American bird from that found 

 in Europe and recognises three forms, L.c. minor (Brehm) from 

 N. America generally east of the Great Plains, L.c. stricklandi 

 from the S. Western United States and the highlands of 

 Mexico, and L.c. bcndirei from the N. W. United States. 



496. SUBSP. LOXIA PITYOPSITTACUS. 



Loxia pityopsittacus, Bechst. Orn. Taschenb. p. 10G (1802) ; Naum. 

 iv. p. 339, Taf. 109, figs. 1-3 ; Gould, B. of E. iii. pi. 201 ; id. B. of 

 Gt. Brit. iii. pi. 46 ; Newton, ii. p. 207 ; Dresser, iv. p. 121, pi. 202 , 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. p. 436 ; Saunders, p. 202. 



