22 FRINGILLID.E. 



" The degree of the lateral power," says Mr. Townson, 

 " is surprising, and they are fond of exercising it for mere 

 amusement ; they are, therefore, not a little mischievous. 

 My pets would often come to my table whilst I was 

 writing, and carry off my pencils, little chip boxes in 

 which I occasionally kept insects, and other similar objects, 

 and tear them to pieces in a minute. Their mode of 

 operation is by first pecking a little hole, in this they insert 

 their bill, and then split or tear the object by the lateral 

 force. When I treated them, as I often did, with almonds 

 in their shells, they got at the kernel in the same manner ; 

 first pecking a hole in the shell, and then enlarging it 

 by wrenching off pieces by the lateral power." 



Notwithstanding BufFon's assertion to the contrary, they 

 can pick up and eat the smallest seeds ; and they shell or 

 husk hemp, and similar seeds, like other birds, so perfect 

 and useful is this singular instrument. The remarks of 

 Buffon on the beak of this bird, which he characterises as 

 " an error and defect of Nature, and a useless deformity," 

 exhibit, to say the least of them, an erroneous and hasty 

 conclusion, unworthy the spirit of the science he cultivated. 

 During a series of observations on the habits and structure 

 of British Birds, I have never met with a more interesting, 

 or more beautiful example, of the adaptation of means to 

 an end, than is to be found in the beak, the tongue, and 

 their muscles, in the Crossbill. 

 Explanation of the vignette : 



Fig. 1 . Head of the Crossbill, side view ; #, temporal 

 muscle ; 5, great pyramidal muscle. 



2. Head viewed from below : c, 0, pterygoid mus- 



cles ; d, d, graciles muscles. 



3. Head, side view : #, pterygoid process ; 5, os 



omoideum ; c, os quadratum ; c?, c?, os jugale. 



