THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 19 
much attention has of late years been directed to the subject. Some 
years ago its nest was taken in this vicinity and I have seen speci- 
mens of the eggs that were collected about eight miles south of this 
town. All efforts on my part to discover its nest and procure its 
eggs have failed ; but it is an established fact that it nests in the win- 
ter season. 
The most accurate information that I have obtained on the nesting 
habits of this species has been furnished by Dr. Jarnier of Lucknow, 
a station some thirty miles to the westward of this town. From his 
article on the ‘‘Red Crossbill”’ published in the Canadian Naturalist 
and Sportsmen, | here make a few extracts: ‘‘About twenty years 
ago the above specics was a common resident in this vicinity. During 
the months of December and January they gathered in small flocks 
and commenced to pair.” ‘Everyone is familiar with the. peculiar 
flight of the Yellow-bird (Sgzzus ¢risis) and exactly in a similar 
manner the Red Crossbill spreads its wings and tail, and flies in a fan- 
tastic manner on summer days. The female, in the meantime, may 
be seen perched on some neighboring sprig or prominent place seem- 
ing to enjoy the gambols of the male. Early in the morning, they 
betake themselves to the hemlock, pine or tamarac ridges, and may 
be seen at all altitudes and in all positions on the cones in search of 
food ; sometimes head downwards, or holding with claws and bill di- 
rectly beneath the cones, and tearing the seed from its covering with 
much ease.” 
“The nests are generally placed near the extremity of a hemlock 
or cedar branch, and are large and very thick for the size of the 
builder. These are variously lined with bits of small roots, fibres of 
vegetables, hair, feathers and the like ; but of course vegetable fibres 
predominate. I have frequently seen the head and a little portion 
of the tail of the bird project over the side of the nest, when on, or 
nearly on a level, but never from below. Although I saw numbers of 
the nests, I never obtained any of the eggs. The fact is, I never 
tried, as the thought did not at the time occur to me.” 
“These birds breed early in March, or towards the end of January, 
aud during February. I am unable to state exactly how many eggs 
they lay, or the period of incubation. On the 24th of March, 1862, 
I saw a female Crossbill feeding her young ; there were four of them 
closely huddled together on a maple twig. I shot three of them, the 
fourth and the old bird escaping, seemingly unhurt. 1 carefully ex- 
