American and White-Winged Crossbills 



273 



Ralph Hoffmann describes the call-note of the Red Crossbill a^ a "loud 

 kip-kip, kip-kip-kip, very like a note made by young chicken-," but to me it 

 has a more metallic quality! 



If one has no evergreens immediately about the house, the Crossbills mav 

 be coaxed to come near by fastening ears of the small kerneled "popcorn" 

 firmly to conspicuous branches or even by unsalted popcorn balls. A^ might be 

 expected, a bird of such unique construction has given rise to many specula- 

 tions, some scientific, others legendary and sentimental, as to its origin. If its 

 beak is a development to meet food conditions, will it be gradually modified by 

 the cutting down of the forests of conifer-? Or will it slip away with other 

 extinct species like the Auk and the Labrador Duck? 



Questions for Teachers and Students 



(1) Describe the bill of the Crossbill. (2) How does the bird use it? (3) Describe 



the plumage of the American Crossbill. (4J How does the adult male differ from the 

 female? (5) What is the range of the Crossbills? (6) Do they come to us regularly? 

 (7) What is their food? (8) At what season do they nest? 





