338 



CHAPTERS ON THE NATURAL HISTORY 



name. About twenty-five years ago I shot several males and 

 females of this white- winged species near Stamford, Connecti- 

 cut, in August, and found them common in central New York 

 in the winter-time. Females of this variety are also olive-green- 

 ish, light-yellowish upon their under parts. Common crossbills 

 are interesting cage-pets, but their bright red tints of plumage 

 frequently, indeed always, 1 believe, change to a variety of shades 

 of yellowish-red, greenish-yellow, or dull orange. These tints 

 are also found sometimes in adult males in a state of nature. 

 The cause for these changes is not as yet known to us, but the 

 food they eat in a state of confinement may have something to do 

 with it. 



Marked variation in size of the individuals is also to be noticed, 

 and their beaks likewise vary greatly in this particular, while in 

 the white-winged species the latter are not so distinctly crossed. 

 Button, the great French naturalist, always contended that this 

 crossing was a deformity, and never changed his opinion, and 

 be it added here, probably never saw a flock of them engaged in 

 extracting the seeds from pine-cones. Beyond all doubt, this ar- 

 rangement has been produced by gradual development in time; 

 and in time, too, the descendants of other species may also pos- 

 sess it — for examples, both siskins and goldfinches constantly 

 feed upon the seeds in pine cones, thrusting their sharp beaks, 

 in the case of the siskins, far in to reach the seeds. A little cross- 

 ing of the bills would insure their survivance with greater cer- 

 tainty, no doubt. 



Wilson, who left us a very excellent account of the American 

 crossbill, says that in the winter they appear in large flocks in 

 Pennsylvania where they feed " on the seeds of the hemlock and 

 white pine, have a loud, sharp, and not unmusical note; chatter 

 as they fly; alight, during the prevalence of deep snows, before 

 the door of the hunter, and around the house, picking off The clay 

 with which the logs are plastered, and searching in corners where 

 urine, or any substance of a saline quality had been thrown. At 

 such times they are so tame as only to settle on the roof of the 

 cabin when disturbed, and a moment after descend to feed as be- 

 fore. They are then easily caught in traps; and they will fre- 

 quently permit one to approach so near as to knock them down 

 with a stick." 



When kept in cages they have many interesting habits, some 

 of which, as holding small cones in their claws while feeding. 



