S8 TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL. 



at some distance from the trunk. It is formed 

 on the same model as the nest of the Bullfinch, 

 an outside nest of sticks, and an inside nest of 

 soft material, the latter rising somewhat higher 

 than the former. The outside nest is made of 

 twigs of Scotch fir, about x\ of an inch thick, 

 somewhat loosely interlaced together, and has 

 "•siriftside^iameter of four inches, and an outside 

 diameter of six inches or more. The inside nest 

 is composed of dry grass and hair-lichen, with 

 occasionally a little moss or wool, or a few 

 feathers in the lining ; the cup has a diameter 

 of 2| inches, and is almost i|- inch deep. The 

 usual number of eggs is four, but five are some- 

 times found ; they vary in length from 0*95 — o"85 

 inch, and in breadth from 0*07 — 0.65. The 

 ground - colour of the eggs varies from pale 

 greenish blue to almost white. The overlying 

 spots are dark brown, principally at the larger 

 end, most of them very small, but some as large 

 as No. 10 shot, and many elongated into streaks; 

 the underlying spots are pale reddish brown, 

 but do not differ in size, shape, or distribution, 

 from the overlying spots." 



