426 



U. S. p. B, K. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY— GENERAL REPORT. 



CURVIROSTRA, Scop li. 



Loxia, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. 1758. Type Loxia furviroslra,h. Not of 1735, which has for type Loxia coccothraustes, L. 

 Cunirostra, " Scopoli, 1777." Type L. curvirostra. 



Ch. — Mandibles much elongated, compressed and attenuated ; greatly curved or falcate, the points crossing or overlapping to 

 a greater or less degree. Tarsi very short ; claws all very long, the lateral extending beyond the middle of the central ; hind 

 claw longer than its digit. Wings very long and pointed, reaching beyond the middle of the narrow, forked tail. 



Colors reddish in the male. 



The elongated, compressed, falcate-curved and overlapping manditles, readily characterise 

 this genus among birds. 



The United States species of Curvirostra are readily distinguished by the presence of white 

 bands on the wing in leucoptera and their absence in americana. 



As Loxia was first assigned by Linnaeus, in 1735, to his L. cocothraustes, I do not understand 

 why G. E. Grray and Cabanis have not retained the genus for the last named type. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



OUEVIEOSTRA AMEEICANA, Wilson. 



Red Crossbill. 



Curvirostra americana, Wils. Am. Orn. IV, 1811, 44 ; pi. xxxi, f. 1, 2. 



Loxia americana, BeN. List, 1838 — Ib Conspectus, 1850, 527. — Bon. & Schlegei,, Mon. Loxiens, 5, tab. vi. 



Newberry, Zool. California and Oregon Route, P. R. R. Rep. VI, iv, 1857, 87. 

 Loxia curvirostra, Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, No. 23.— Atjd. Biog. II, 1834, 559: V, 511 ; pi. 197.— Ib. Birds 



Amer. Ill, 1841, 186 ; pi. 200. 

 " Loxia pusilla, Illigbr." (Bp.) 

 " Loxiafusca, Vieillot." (Bp.) 



Sp. Ch. — Male dull red ; darkest across the back ; wings and tail dark blackish brown. 



Female dull greenish olive above, each feather with a dusky centre ; rump and crown bright greenish yellow. Beneath 

 grayish ; tinged, especially on the sides of the body, with greenish yellow. Young entirely brown ; paler beneath. 

 Male about 6 inches ; wing, 3. .30 ; tail, 2.25. 

 Hoi).— North America generally, coming southward in winter. Resident in the mountains of Pennsylvania. 



The immature and young birds exhibit all imaginable combinations of the colors of the male 

 and female. They all agree in the entire absence of white bands on the wings. 



I have not enough materials before me to determine whether western specimens differ from 

 eastern. One (4476) has a larger bill and longer, more pointed wings than any eastern skin I 



