48 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 
surprising if some of them did not fall victims to the desire implanted in the 
hearts of many collectors to secure every strange bird which they see; moreover, 
quiet and confiding as the Crossbills and Rose-finches are in confinement, they are 
in some respects far less attractive pets than many other birds; therefore it is 
quite conceivable that the owner might weary of them, and give them their liberty. 
This near relative of our common species, agrees very closely with it in its 
habits, frequenting and breeding in forests of conifers, and feeding largely upon 
the seeds of these trees: in confinement it is said to be very fond of apples; but 
I suspect, as is the case with the common Crossbill, it merely chews up and drops 
the fruit in order to secure the pips, which these birds eat with great relish. 
The nest is described by Mr. Dresser, as chiefly differing from that of Z. 
curvirostra in being smaller and slighter; the eggs also are said to resemble very 
closely those of the common species, but are smaller and darker. 
The song is stated to be superior; but, as the Common Crossbill can hardly 
be said to have a song worth mentioning, it need not be especially meritorious on 
that account; indeed, Herr Mathias Rausch speaks of the Crossbills collectively 
(Gefiederte Welt, Vol. XX, p. 396) as of trifling value as cage-birds, on account of 
their song; with which opinion Major Alexander von Homeyer (p. 489) agrees. 
Herr Giatke says that in 1889 this species “occurred more frequently (on 
Heligoland) than on any previous occasion. On the r4th of August I obtained a 
beautiful scarlet-red male, and an old female. On the rst, 16th, 18th, 20th, and 
22nd of September, from two, five, up to eight males and females were seen daily, 
accompanied by larger numbers of the common species; but among all these only 
one bird in the grey- and black-striped early dress. For my collection I stuffed 
three fine red old males, a younger yellow male, two old females, and the young 
bird already mentioned. A large number were consigned to cages by fanciers: 
some of them having been sold, the rest subsequently died out.” 
