138 THE CROSSBILL 



much commotion amongst the lesser birds that we made 

 a present of him to Mr. Denham Jordan, who wrote an 

 amusing memoir of him which was headed " Crossbill 

 Turk." 



The Crossbill is 6'5 inches in length. The back and 

 underparts of the old male bird are red, the rump fiery 

 red ; wings and tail dark olive-brown ; the back of the 

 female is grey, rump greenish-yellow. The upper beak 

 is curved downwards, the under one upwards, inclined to 

 one side, with sharp points. The tips of the beaks cross, 

 sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left. This 

 crossing of the two halves of the beak is the exclusive 

 characteristic of this bird. It lays three to five greyish- 

 white eggs spotted with shades of reddish-brown. The 

 nest is found in fir trees, and sometimes in the birch* 

 It is made of fine materials, is built very high up, and is 

 well concealed. It nests in February. The nest there- 

 fore is very stout and well-lined, and the mother-bird 

 sits continuously in order to preserve the warmth. 



