CHAP, VIII. | CROSSBILLS. vi 
CHAPTER VIII. 
Crossbills: Habits of; Nest--Snowy Owl—Great-eared Owl—Hoopoe— 
Shrike—Tawny and Snow Bunting—Lizards—Singular Pets—Toads- 
Utility of ; Combats of—Adders—Dog and Snakes—Large Snake—Blind- 
Worn. 
Wuitst walking through the extensive fir and larch woods in 
this neighbourhood, I am often much amused by the proceedings 
of those curious little birds the crossbills. They pass incessantly 
from tree to tree with a jerking quick flight in search of their 
food, which consists of the seeds of the fir and larch. They ex- 
tract these from the cones with the greatest skill and rapidity, 
holding the cone in one foot, and cutting it up quickly and tho- 
roughly 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 asharp 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 disperse immediately, hanging and swinging 
about the branches and twigs, cutting off the cones, a great many of 
which they fling 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 
ata considerable 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 
