56 Birds of Canada. 



dusky brown ; tail, forked. Breeds north of 

 Ontario. 



Curvirostra amcricana. The Red Crossbill. 



The Red Crossbill is six inches long ; the 

 color, dull red ; the wings and tail, blackish- 

 brown. This bird is an inhabitant of the pine 

 forests of the far north, and usually visits us 

 during the winter. Its food consists of the seeds 

 of the pine and hemlock, which it detaches from 

 the cones and husks that enclose them with its 

 peculiarly shaped bill, which is crossed. 



Curvirostra leucoptera. The White-winged 

 Crossbill. 



This bird has all the general characteristics of 

 the Red Crossbill, but is readily distinguished by 

 the white bands across the wings. 



ALgiothus linaria. The Lesser Red-poll. 



This is a common winter visitor with us. It 

 is four and a-half inches long ; the color, above, 

 light yellowish, each feather streaked with dark 

 brown ; the crown, crimson ; upper parts of the 

 breast, tinged with light crimson ; white, under- 

 neath. Few birds manifest a more affectionate 

 disposition than the little Red-poll. I have often 

 seen a dozen or more sitting on a branch, feeding 

 each other, and exhibiting other marks of kind- 

 ness and affection. This bird breeds in the arctic 



