AMERICAN CROSSBILL. 291 
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‘AMERICAN CROSSBILL.—CURVIROSTRA Al. ERICANA.— 
Fic. 140, Marz; Fic. 141, Femarez. : 
Peale's Museum, No. 5640. 
LOXIA CURVIROSTRA 7 — Bonaparte.* 
Loxia curvirostra, Bonap. Synop. p. 117. 
On first glancing at the bill of this extraordinary bird, one is apt to 
pronounce it deformed and monstrous; but on attentively observing 
the use to which it is applied by the owner, and the dexterity with 
which he detaches the seeds of the pine-tree from the cone, and from 
* Brisson first limited the Crossbills to a genus, and proposed for them the title 
Loxia, which has been adopted by most ornithologists. Crucirostra and Curvi- 
rostra nave also been formed for it from the shape of the bill; but ought to be 
rejected, from the priority of the former. They are a very limited group, being 
composed of at most four species, provided that of America be proved distinct, or 
one differing trom those of Europe be found in the former continent. Their distribu- 
tion appears to extend pretty generally over the/north of Europe, decreasing in 
numbers to the south, and over North America. In form, all the members are 
similar.. They are endowed with considerable power of flight; are of a thick, 
stout make, and in addition to the curiously-formed bill, possess scansorial habits, 
using their bills and feet to disengage. the seeds from the fir cones, when in confine- 
ment, holding their food like a Parrot-in the latter member, and by the same means 
' climbing about the wires of the cage. a, : 
Regarding the identity of our author’s species with that of this conntry, I am 
uncertain, not having a specimen of the bird from America. Wilson thinks it dis- 
tinct, and I have been told the same thing by Audubon. On the other hand, we 
have the authority of Bonaparte, who'thus writes in his Observations on Wilson’s 
Nomenclature : —“ 1 think Wilson was in error when he considered this bird a new 
species, and stated that it differs considerably from the European. He probabl 
compared it with the L. pytiopsittacus, and not with the eurvirostra, with which 
latter it is identical. Wilson’s new names must therefore be rejected, and the name 
of Loxia.curvirostra must be restored to this bird.” Our author was also incor- 
rect in remarking, that “the young males, as is usual with most other birds, very 
much resemble the female.” “The fact is, that the young of all the Crossbills, as 
well as that of Pyrrhula enucleator, contrary to the habit of the generality of birds, 
lose their red color as they advance in age, instead of gaining an additional bril- 
liancy of plumage. The figure (140) which our author gives as that of an adult male, 
represents a young bird er abonl one year, and his supposed female (Fig. 141) is a 
remarkably fine adult male. : 
The species of this group, then, are, — L. pyliopsittacus, or Parrot-billed Cross- 
bill of Europe, and which Bonaparte also hints the possibility of finding in America, 
a circumstance I should think very likely, —the : leucoptera, and the L. curvi- 
rostra; but I fear we must remain uncertain whether the last constitutes one or 
two, until the examination’of numerous specimens from both countries decide the 
point. The haunts of our common species in Europe are the immense northern 
pine forests, where their chief food is the seeds of the fir cones; from thence, after 
breeding, they appear to migrate to various parts southward, in comparatively 
small flocks, at uncertain intervals. This is the case with those which visit Britain. 
They must hatch very early, arriving in this country by the middle of June; the 
females at that time bear all the marks of incubation, but have never yet been 
authentically proved to breed in this country, as supposed by Mr. Knap, from the 
bareness of the breast. They descend, at the same season, to the orchards, where 
they do considerable damage, by splitting the apples for the pips, thus leaving the 
fruit useless, and incapable of further growth; and, at the sanie time, giving us a 
