I 



140 FRINGILLID.E. 



abundant in Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia ; it 

 is also found in Pennsylvania. 



In the pine forests of Silesia, Bohemia, in the Hartz 

 mountains, and in the Thuringer Wald, the Crossbill is 

 also indigenous, and in seasons when fir-cones abound, they 

 are seen to congregate in such considerable flocks, that it 

 is difficult to conceive from whence they arrive so suddenly, 

 and in such numbers. 



These birds appear upon the European continent as well as 

 in Britain, to have very roving and wandering habits, appear- 

 ing in various places in great numbers, and disappearing again 

 without any apparent cause, and with little regularity of time 

 or season. Doubtless food is the inciting cause of all their 

 erratic movements, as severities of temperature appear to have 

 little effect upon this species. In these wandering move- 

 ments they have been observed, like many other gregarious 

 birds, to have a leader, or sentinel, whose alarm note, or call, 

 either warns his companions of the approach of danger, or 

 collects such as have strayed from the society. Their manner 

 of flight when on the wing is arched, like that of the finch 

 tribes ; it is also quick and rapid. While feeding they fre- 

 quently utter a chirping note, and occasionally a louder cry, 

 which sounds like tsoc ! tsoc ! also a soft one resembling gtp, 

 or kip. On the continent, where much more pains are taken 

 than in this country to catch various small birds for the table, 

 and for other purposes, a Crossbill that utters the monosyl- 

 lable tsoc freely, is much valued as a call-bird to attract 

 others. 



In their motions, as well as in their appearance, these birds 

 much resemble the parrot tribe ; they climb with equal faci- 

 lity upwards or downwards, and make frequent use of their 

 beaks for that purpose. 



The food of the Crossbill consists principally of the seeds 

 of fir-cones, which their Ions' and curious! y constructed beaks 



