PARROT CROSSBILL. 25 



and the ends more blunt." This bird was considered only 

 as a variety of the common species by Gmelin, who called 

 it Loxia curvirostra major ; but it is now admitted as a 

 distinct species by Bechstein, Brehm, Meyer, Naumann, 

 and Nilsson, besides those authors enumerated under the 

 title here, and probably many others of good authority. 



Since the year 1776, the date of that edition of Pen- 

 nant's British Zoology which contains his notice, this 

 species has occurred twice at least in Scotland, and several 

 times in England. Mr. Blyth has recorded one instance of 

 its being shot in Surrey ; and a second instance of its 

 being obtained in the autumn of 1835 in Epping Forest. 

 Several specimens were brought for sale to the London 

 market in March 1838, and were eagerly purchased by 

 those who were acquainted with the specific difference, and 

 aware of their rarity. Two of these I saw and examined ; 

 Mr. Bartlett was the purchaser of a third, and I am indebt- 

 ed to him for the opportunity of figuring from the sternum 

 of that bird to show the difference in size between it and 

 that of our more common species. These representations 

 form the subject of the vignette at the end of this article. 



Specimens of the Parrot Crossbill are frequently brought 

 from Germany to this country by dealers in birds' skins. 

 The food of this bird, and its mode of obtaining it, are, as 

 far as known, the same as that of the Common Crossbill ; 

 but the Parrot Crossbill is a much rarer bird. In high 

 northern latitudes it breeds in May ; but in more southerly 

 countries it is said to go to nest much earlier in spring, or 

 even before the winter has entirely passed away ; it is also 

 said to lay four or five ash-coloured eggs, spotted with red 

 at the larger end. 



According to M. Temminck, this bird is only an occa- 

 sional visiter either in Holland or France ; it inhabits Ger- 



