210 



Mus. xii. p. 442) gives L. rubrifasciata as a synonym of L. bifasciata, and remarks that " the 

 so-called Loxia rubrifasciata of Brehm is probably only the present species in its finest plumage, 

 when the white bands on the wings are tinted with red " ; but this is clearly an error, for it has 

 nothing to do with L. bifasciata, as is evident from Brehm's original description as above cited. 

 Mr. Pleske, when in England some time ago, assured me that the present is a good species, as 

 he had convinced himself by an examination of specimens, and he has kindly lent me the bird I 

 have figured for examination and comparison. I have examined a considerable number of 

 specimens of the Common Crossbill and its near allies from various localities, the former chiefly 

 from Scandinavia, besides the large series in the British Museum, not one of which shows the 

 slightest trace of a band on the wings. Mr. Meves, however, informed me some years ago that 

 a specimen with two reddish-white bands on the wings, and which must have belonged to the 

 present species, had been obtained near Stockholm in November 1858. On the whole, it seems 

 to me highly probable that Mr. Pleske is justified in his view that the present form should be 

 specifically separated from Loxia curvirostra, and I have therefore decided to figure it. 



Brehm says that this Crossbill occurs in the forests near Renthendorf and in Thuringia, and 

 at Oeftersten on the Harz, and adds that he obtained specimens at the latter locality in the 

 spring of 1817, in August 1819, and in April 1847, and that Mr. Bonde, a forester, from whom 

 he received a fine male, only obtained three specimens in the Thuringer Forest in twenty years. 



Mr. Pleske informs me that it is occasionally met with in Western Russia ; and, according 

 to Mr. Deditius (J. f. O. 1885, p. 202), it is recorded by Mr. Eug. Biichner as being not 

 uncommon, and probably breeds in the St. Petersburg Government. As yet it is difficult to 

 define its range, but it probably inhabits Western Russia, and straggles from thence into 

 Germany. So far as I can ascertain, nothing is known respecting its habits beyond the few 

 notes on it as a cage-bird given by Brehm in 'Naumannia' (I. c), where he remarks that its 

 call-note resembles that of the Common Crossbill, but is easily distinguishable, though the 

 difference is not easy to describe. Its song, however, is very different, being fuller, louder, and 

 richer, and is much more varied. He adds that he has kept many Crossbills as cage-birds, but 

 none could compare with the Red-banded Crossbill so far as song was concerned ; and one in 

 particular, a male a year old, caught near Renthendorf on the 6th March, 1847, proved an 

 exceptionally good songster in confinement. He mentions that it became very tame, and knew 

 him after only a few days of confinement. 



The nest of this Crossbill does not appear to have been found and described; but Brehm 

 writes (I. c.) that it probably nested near Renthendorf in 1844, and certainly in 1847. He could 

 not find the nest, but caught the female on the 6th April ; and as it was evidently breeding, he 

 placed it in a large cage and covered the bottom with moss. The next morning he found that 

 it had deposited an egg, which he describes as differing considerably from that of the Common 

 Crossbill, being elongated oviform, rich bluish white, with a wreath of closely-placed light red 

 and brown spots round the larger end. It was different, he remarks, from any other Crossbill 

 egg he had ever seen. 



I do not possess a specimen of this rare Crossbill, nor is there one in the British Museum ; 

 and the bird figured and above described is the one for the loan of which I am indebted to 

 Mr. Theod. Pleske, of St. Petersburg. 



