OF THE UNITED STATES 339 



and using their bills when climbing along the wires, remind us 

 of some of the smaller parrots. Collectors for bird dealers often 

 capture crossbills during snowstorms, with a hair-noose at the 

 end of a short pole. They are thus taken on the cones while 

 feeding. 



Sometimes thousands of crossbills will suddenly appear in 

 districts where conifers abound, and after attracting the atten- 

 tion of everyone in the neighborhood, will as suddenly disappear, 

 perhaps after a stay of less than twenty-four hours. Such a 

 flight of the American crossbill I observed here near Washing- 

 ton, D. C., last season, during the latter part of November (1896). 

 Next day all of them appeared to have taken their departure. 

 Occasionally, in New York, I saw both species in the same flock, 

 both being extremely noisy, timid, and restless. 



These birds breed in the pine forests of the north, the western 

 form further south than the other two species. The season 

 chosen is either in winter, or very early spring. Kidgway, in de- 

 scribing the nidification of the American crossbill, says " nest 

 rather a flat structure, in coniferous trees, composed externally 

 of spruce twigs, shreds of soft bark, etc., lined with horse-hair, 

 fine rootlets, etc., cavity about 2.50 across by 1.25 deep, external 

 diameter about 4.00. Eggs usually four, .75 by .57, pale greenish, 

 spotted with various shades of brown, mixed with purplish-gray." 



Crossbills, in common with so many other animals, have given 

 rise to their special myths. Therefore, we find those who aver 

 that this bird received its crossbill and its blood-tinted plumage 

 " in recognition of the pity it bestowed on the suffering Saviour 

 at the crucifixion." (!) It has been hinted that even Buff on was 

 not altogether averse to this explanation of these two charac- 

 teristics of the males of this genus, quite ignoring the fact that 

 the females show no red in their plumage. Pathologically, crows 

 (and other Corvidce) often exhibit a crossing of the mandible as 

 do some other species of birds. 



