125 



trees parrot-like, often with the head downwards, using its crooked bill both to assist it in 

 climbing and to extract the seeds out of the cones. They are by no means shy, and exhibit at 

 times a fearlessness which proves fatal to them, as several may often be shot down before the 

 survivors seek safety in flight. Dresser, who met with them in Finland, found them generally 

 frequenting the tops of the large pine and spruce trees, feeding very silently, their presence 

 being only observable by the cones which from time to time they detached and allowed to fall on 

 the ground. Sometimes a low note might be heard, but only when close to the tree on which 

 the birds were sitting. 



Their note is similar to that of the Common Crossbill, but is deeper and louder. It feeds 

 almost exclusively on the seeds of the pine, spruce, and larch, the former of which it appears to 

 prefer when they are to be had. If it feeds on other seeds in a wild state we cannot say, but 

 doubtless it does so when the seeds of the conifers are scarce. Mr. C. W. von Negelin met with 

 it near Oldenburg in July, feeding on the leaf-lice which infest the poplars. 



In its mode of nidification this species does not differ from L. curvirostra ; in Dresser's 

 collection are a nest and four eggs of this species, which were sent to him by Mr. W. Meves, 

 together with the two old birds, which latter are also in his collection. This nest was taken in 

 Wermland, Sweden, on the 10th of March, 1870, and was placed in a fir tree, about twenty- 

 two feet above the ground. In general structure it much resembles the nest of the Common 

 Crossbill ; but, compared with the nest of the latter taken in Scotland, and sent to Dresser 

 by our friend Mr. Harvie Brown, it is much larger and heavier, measuring inside fully three 

 quarters of an inch more in diameter. The eggs are in colour and shape exactly like those of 

 the Common Crossbill, but are larger in size, measuring f^ by f J, ff by f^-, f § by f-J, and 

 lo by to °f an mcQ respectively. Two other nests, one containing three and the other four 

 eggs, were also sent, which we do not describe, as they closely resemble the one above referred 

 to, except that the eggs in the one are rather elongated in form, and marked peculiarly with 

 irregular lines and spots. Dr. E. Rey informs us that he possesses an egg, procured in Thuringiai 

 which measures 23'25 by 16 - 50 millimetres. 



The specimens figured and described are in Dresser's collection ; and full particulars as to 

 locality are given above. 



In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, tf. Wermland, March 1868. b, ?. Wermland, March 10th, 1870. c,juv. Wyburg, Finland, June 1856 

 (H. E. D.). d, pullus. Wermland, April 12th, 1871. e,f, g, h, i, 6 . Wermland. j, k,l, d ■ Stock- 

 holm, m, n, $ . Gottland. o, p, , $ . Darmstadt (Mb'schler) . q, r, ? . Wermland, s, § . Stockholm. 

 t, u,juv. Wermland. 



a, b. Sweden {Wheelwright). 



E Mus. Lord Walden. 



E Mus. Salvin and Godman. 

 a, b, c. Sarpsborg, Norway (P. Godman). 



