CHAP. VIII THE CROSSBILL ,, '. 8t 



search of their food, which consists of the seeds of the fir and 

 larch. They extract tliese from the cones with, the greatest 

 skill and rapidity, holding the cone in one foot, and cutting it 

 up quickly and thoroughly with their powerful beak, which 

 they use much after the manner of a pair of scissors. When 

 the flock has stripped one tree of all the sound, cones, they 

 simultaneously take wing, uttering at the same time a sharp 

 harsh chattering cry. Sometimes they fly off to a considerable 

 height, and after wheeling about for a short time, suddenly 

 alight again on some prolific-looking tree, over which they dis,- 

 perse immediately, hanging and swinging about the branches 

 and twigs, cutting off the cones, a great many of which , they 

 fiing to the ground, often with a kind of impatient jerk. , These 

 cones, I conclude, .are without any ripe seed. They continue 

 uttering a constant chirping while in search of their food on 

 the branches. I have never succeeded in finding the nest of the 

 crossbill, though I am confident that they breed in this country, 

 having seen the birds during every month of the year, so that 

 either some barren ones must remain,, or they hatch their young 

 here. The nest has • been described to' me , as placed at a, con^ 

 siderable height from the ground, at the junction of some large 

 branch with the main stem. 



.The crossbill itself is a busy, singular-looking little fellow, 

 as he' flits to and fro, or climbs, parrot-like, up and down the 

 branches ; and the cock, with his red plumage shining. in the 

 sun, has more the appearance of some Eastern or tropical bird 

 than any other of our sober northern finches. . When engaged 



-in feeding, these birds are often so intent on :their, occupation 

 that they will allow a horsehair snare, attached to the end of a 



'long twig, to be slipped round their necks before they .fly .away. 



i In captivity they are very tame, but restless, and are constantly 

 tearing with their strong mandibles at the woodwork and wires 

 of their cage. 



Altogether the crossbill is a gay, lively bird, and, I hope, 

 likely to increase and become a regular inhabitant of this 

 country, as the numerous plantations of fir and larch which are 

 daily being laid out, afford them plenty of their favourite and 

 natural food.' 



' This forecast has bqen in a great measure verified. Crossbills are now fairly- 

 abundant in many districts, especially of the west coast. 



G 



