135 



9 



in most, however, it fades away to a delicate pale green. Considerable variety is apparent as 

 regards the size and distribution of the markings, which are sometimes large and comet-shaped, 

 like those often observed in eggs of the Chaffinch, and in those of some of the Buntings. The 

 markings are generally lilac and dark brown, but in one lovely laying in our possession they are 

 rich reddish-brown. 



" Our correspondent writes to us that he usually found the nests in the early morning — that 

 the female, whilst incubation is proceeding, is always on the nest, and is fed constantly by the 

 male — that after once commencing to build, the birds get on rapidly — and that young birds are 

 found sometimes as early as the 10th of March." 



In Dresser's collection are eggs of this bird from Switzerland and Scotland, the latter a 

 sitting of four lovely eggs, with a nest which we should have been glad to figure, had we room 

 on our Plate. These latter eggs were procured from Mr. Harvie Brown, who kindly sent full 

 particulars as to the exact locality where they were taken ; but for obvious reasons we refrain 

 from publishing this information. These eggs much resemble those of the Common Green- 

 finch, being pale bluish-white, spotted with small red and purple spots and dashes, chiefly at the 

 larger end. In size the Scotch eggs measure f§ by f^, and those from Switzerland from ^ by 

 to to to by fo incn respectively. 



The call-note of the Crossbill is a low, not unmelodious whistle, which, during the breeding- 

 season, is said to be modulated into a sort of song, which Wheelwright states is musical and 

 pretty. Their food consists usually of the seeds of Abies excelsa, Pinus sylvestris, and of the 

 larch (Larix) ; but it also occasionally feeds on insects. Mr. Meves writes that he met with large 

 flocks at Stehag, in Southern Sweden, which were busy feeding on the pupse and larvse of Tortrix 

 viridana, and again at Horn Borgholm and Ottenby, also engaged in destroying these noxious 

 insects. Ten to a dozen birds he shot had their stomachs filled with the larvee and pupse of this 

 insect. 



The mandibles of the Crossbill are not always crossed in a similar manner ; for out of the 

 same flock specimens have been obtained with the mandibles crossed on the one side, and others 

 crossed in the contrary direction. The beak also differs greatly in size ; and we have seen some 

 birds from Scotland which have almost as stout a beak as some specimens of L. pityopsittaca, and 

 again others in which the beak is nearly as slender as that of L. americana. 



The specimens figured and described are in Dresser's collection — the adult male and immature 

 birds being from Sweden, and the female from Denmark. 



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



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, b, c, 3 . Wermland. d, $ • Borgholm. e, f, g, h, i, <5 juv. Stockholm, j, k, J , $ . Margaard, Denmark, 

 October 23rd, 1871 (Benzori). I, m, n, 0. Waremme, Belgium (Baron Be Selys-Longchamps). p, q, r. 

 Macedonia (Kriiper). s, d . Bergamasca (Count Salvadori). t, 6 ■ Darasun, Dauria, October 25th, 1869 

 (Dybowski). u,juv. Sweden. 



E Mus. Lord Walden. 

 a, b, c. Sweden (Wheelwright), d, e. Highgate (Davy), f. Asia Minor (Robson). g. Hakodadi (Whitely). 



