Conspicuously Red of any Shade 
feathers, shining against the dark-green background of the trees, 
give them charming prominence; but they also feed freely upon 
the buds of various deciduous trees. 
South of Canada we may not look for them except in the 
severest winter weather. Even then their coming is not to be 
positively depended upon; but when their caprice—or was it an 
unusually fierce northern blast ?p—sends them over the Canada 
border, it is a simple matter to identify them when such brilliant 
birds are rare. The brownish-yellow and grayish females and 
young males, however, always seem to be in the majority with 
us, though our Canadian friends assure us of the irreproachable 
morals of this gay bird. 
Wherever there are clusters of pine or cedar trees, when 
there is a flock of pine grosbeaks in the neighborhood, you may 
expect to find a pair of birds diligently feeding upon the seeds 
and berries. No cheerful note escapes them as they persistently 
gormandize, and, if the truth must be confessed, they appear to 
be rather stupid and uninteresting, albeit they visit us at a time 
when we are most inclined to rapture over our bird visitors. 
They are said to have a deliciously sweet song in the nesting 
season. When, however, few except the Canadian voyageurs 
hear it. 
American Crossbill 
(Loxia curvirostra minor) Finch family 
Called also: RED CROSSBILL 
Length—6 to 7 inches. About the size of the English sparrow. 
Male—General color Indian red, passing into brownish gray, with 
red tinge beneath. Wings (without bands), also tail, brown. 
Beak crossed at the tip. 
Female—General color greenish yellow, with brownish tints. 
Dull-yellowish tints on head, throat, breast, and underneath. 
Wings and tail pale brown. Beak crossed at tip. 
Range—Pennsylvania to northern British America. West of Mis- 
sissippl, range more southerly. 
Migrations—lrregular winter visitor. November. Sometimes 
resident until April. 
It is a rash statement to say that a bird is rare simply because 
you have never seen it in your neighborhood, for while you are 
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