THE PARROT CROSS-BILL. 79 



exudes from the pines, and thus render them water-proof. 

 That, however, is also very doubtful. Turpentine does not 

 exude from trees in cold weather ; and as the nest is merely 

 a hemispherical one and without a dome, the rendering of it 

 waterproof would do it harm rather than good. Nests do 

 not get wet from below, unless they are flooded ; and that 

 would be a very violent thaw even in Sweden, where summer 

 sets in so rapidly, which would flood the pine forests to the 

 height of the cross-bill's nest.* 



THE PARROT CROSS-BILL (LoXld 



This bird is larger than the former, more like a parrot in 

 shape, not so generally known on the continent, probably a 

 more northerly or easterly dweller, and exceedingly rare as a 

 straggler in Britain. It is not longer than the common 

 cross-bill, but the tail is shorter, and it is altogether a much 

 thicker and stronger bird. The bill is much thicker and 

 more crooked in its outline, but shorter, and the points are 

 not so sharp and do not cross each other to so great an 

 extent, the upper one merely appearing to hang over the 

 under as in parrots, when the head is viewed laterally. The 

 colour of the young male is not so red as in the former spe- 

 cies, and more mottled, and in the mature bird it changes 

 more into grey. 



In winter these birds are very abundant in the pine 

 forests on both shores of the Baltic. Like the former, they 

 nestle very early ; and they are said to retire to the swamps 

 in the spring, and prey first upon the buds, and subsequently 



* The cr^oss-bill has been observed to breed in plantations of larch and 

 Scotch firs on the Cotswold Hills, Gloucestershire, and also in Holt 

 Forest, Surrey, where considerable flocks have been seen. Nidificatiori 

 commences early; generally in March or the beginning of April. The nest 

 is made of grass, and placed in the thick top of a young fir. The eggs 

 are white, transparent, and slightly speckled. The male bird has an. 

 agreeable song. M. 



