S6 TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL. 



other with a long, sweet note, something similar 

 to that of our ordinary Goldfinch [Spinus tristis). 

 They keep up a constant cheeping repetition of 

 this note, when feeding in parties, and if one of 

 their number is shot, the others approach closer 

 and closer to the hunter, and gaze with mingled 

 curiosity and sympathy upon their fluttering 

 companion." 



We have already alluded to the way in which 

 the bill of the Common Crossbill varies in size, 

 and the birds in stoutness. Mr. Saebohm says 

 that this has much to do with the food on which 

 they live. " The bill of the Crossbill has become 

 specially adapted for extracting the seeds from the 

 cones of the larch and various species of pine. 

 The strongest billed birds, to which the name of 

 " Parrot " Crossbill has been applied, form a local 

 race, which live in the pine-forests, and feed 

 principally on the cones of the Scotch fir {Pinus 

 sylvestvis). The more slender-billed birds choose 

 localities where spruce-fir and larch cones are 

 obtainable; they range further north during the 

 breeding season, than their thicker-billed cousins, 

 not because they are able to withstand a greater 

 degree of cold, but because the trees whose fruits 



