COMMON CROSSBIliL AND PARROT CROSSBILL. 35 



nest of sticksj and an inside nest of soft material, the latter rising some- 

 what higher than the former. The outside nest is made of twigs of Scotch 

 fir, about ^ of an inch thick, somewhat loosely interlaced together, and 

 has an inside diameter 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 about 1| inch deep. The usual 

 number of eggs is four, but five are sometimes found ; they vary in length 

 from -95 to -85 inch, and in breadth from -7 to -65*- Eggs of the Parrot 

 Crossbill do not differ in size from those of the Common Crossbill. The 

 ground-colour of the eggs varies from pale greenish blue to almost white. 

 The overlying spots are dark brown, principally at the large 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. 



The female sits very close, and is fed on the nest by the male. In 

 confinement these birds are very amusing, chmbing about their cages, both 

 with claws and bill, like Parrots. 



The general colour of the adult male Crossbill is intermediate between 

 scarlet and crimson, somewhat shaded with brown on the back, and most 

 brilliant on the rump. The wings, tail, longest tail-coverts, and hindmost 

 ear-coverts are brown. The centre of the belly and the under tail-coverts 

 are pale grey, the latter with dark centres. Bill, legs, feet, and claws 

 brown; irides dark hazel. The adult female differs from the male in 

 having the red replaced by greenish yellow. Males of the year are inter- 

 mediate in plumage between adult males and females ; in some examples 

 the red feathers predominate, and in others the yellow feathers. Females 

 of the year only differ from adult females in having much less yellow on 

 the plumage. Young in first plumage of both sexes are plain brown, each 

 of the small feathers having a dark centre; they moult in the first 

 autumn into their respective plumage of males and females of the year. 



The variation in the plumage of the Crossbill is a question upon which 

 great difference of opinion has existed, and, strange to say, still exists 

 amongst ornithologists who have had the best opportunities of forming a 

 judgment on the matter. Bechstein and Hancock describe the males of 

 the year as red, which gradually changes to yellowish green as in the adult 

 and immature female. Wheelwright thinks that the red plumage of the 

 male is only assumed after the second moult, but he looks upon it as an 

 intermediate stage, though lasting through several seasons, between the 

 mixed plumage of birds of the year and the yellow plumage of what he 

 considers to be fully adult males. Naumann, Brehm, WoUey, Meves, 



* Abnormally small eggs may measure -73 by -67 (fde Newton), but the eggs measuring 

 1 inch by -75 (see Dresser) are larger than any I have ever seen. 



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