142 



Adult Male (near Archangel, 8th May) . Head, neck, and back carmine-red with a vermilion tinge, the 

 dark bases of the feathers showing through here and there; rump clear light carmine, upper tail- 

 coverts black, broadly margined with reddish white and slightly tinged with sulphur-yellow; wings 

 black, the quills with narrow light edgings, the inner secondaries broadly tipped with white ; larger 

 and median wing-coverts with broad white tips, forming two conspicuous alar bars ; lesser wing-coverts 

 tinged with red ; tail black, the feathers narrrowly edged with reddish white ; underparts carmine-red, 

 on the centre of the abdomen and under tail- coverts fading into greyish white with a reddish tinge ; 

 bill stout, light horn-colour, darker at the tip ; legs brownish ; iris dark brown. Total length about 

 625 inches, culmen 085, height of bill at the base - 43, wing 3'8, tail 2'75, tarsus 0-62, hind toe with 

 claw - 6. 



Adult Female (Siberia) . Head, neck, back, and lesser wing-coverts blackish brown, the feathers margined 

 with grey, and crown and back tinged with apple-yellow ; rump light yellow ; wings and tail as in the 

 male, but the reddish tinge is replaced by yellow ; chin, throat, and breast greyish white, the darker 

 bases of the feathers showing through; flanks dark grey striped with brownish grey, these and the 

 breast washed with apple-yellow ; centre of the abdomen white ; under tail-coverts blackish grey 

 broadly margined with white. 



Young (Archangel, June) . General plumage, except the wings and tail, dull white broadly striped with 

 blackish brown, the underparts much more narrowly striped than the upper parts ; back, rump, breast, 

 and flanks washed with bufly yellow ; wings and tail as in the adult, but with broader margins. 



For long the present species and Loxia leucoptera were considered to be specifically identical ; 

 and some doubt exists as to who first discovered and recorded the differences between them. So 

 far as Professor Newton and myself can ascertain, after a careful examination of the literature of 

 the subject, it appears that both C. L. Brehm and Gloger published a description of it almost 

 simultaneously in 1827; but we have failed to ascertain which of these descriptions was first 

 published. Under these circumstances I have deemed it advisable to choose Brehm's name, as 

 being the one by which the bird is most generally known. 



The Two-barred Crossbill inhabits North-eastern Europe and Northern Asia, whence it 

 straggles into Central and Western Europe, and has been obtained also in Great Britain ; but as 

 both this and the American species have on several occasions been met with in our isles, without 

 a careful examination having been made to ascertain to which species they belong, it is most 

 difficult to determine whether the records refer to this species or to Loxia leucojitera. I am 

 indebted to Professor Newton for the use of his notes on this species, he having most carefully 

 examined all available data on the subject ; and from these and information I have also gathered, 

 it seems that out of the many recorded occurrences only the following can with safety be relied 

 on as referring to Loxia bifasciata, viz. : — One is recorded by Mr. Bodd in 1843 (Zool. p. 142) as 

 obtained a few years previously at Larrigan, in Cornwall, the specimen being still in his collection. 

 Mr. Hancock states (B. of North, and Durh. p. 50) " a female was shot, out of a flock of about 

 fifteen, near Brampton, Cumberland, November 1845 : this specimen is in my possession. Two or 

 three others were killed at the same time and place. This species ought not in strictness to be 

 included in our list ; but its place of capture is so close to the borders of Northumberland thai 



