z + 8 0<%&ClTHOLO<jr« BookII. 



Chap. IV. 



Tl?e Shell-apple or CrBfs-bill, called by the Germans Krutzvogel. Loxia, Gefn. 

 Jldrov. An Tragon Plinii ? 



IN fhape of body it is not much unlike the Green-finch ; It weighs an ounce and 

 half, and from tip of Bill to Tail end is fix inches three quarters long. 

 Its Bill is thick, hard, ftrong, black, and contrary to the manner of all other 

 birds, crooked both ways, the Mandibles near their tips eroding one another : For 

 the lower, being drawn out into a iharp point, turns upward, the upper bends down- 

 ward. Neither do they always obferve the fame fide 5 for in fome birds the upper 

 Chap hangs down on the right fide, the nether rifes up on the left 3 in others contra- 

 riwife, the lower takes the right fide, the upper the left. The lower Chap is like the 

 Chafihches, neither is the Tongue different. The Nofthrils are round : The Ears 

 great and wide : The bides of the Eyes from grey tend to a hazel-colour : The Feet 

 dusky, the Claws black. The loweft joynt of the outmoft toe fticks to that of the 

 "middlemoft. 



The middle parts of the Back and Head feathers are black, the edges green. In the 

 Head there is fomething of cinereous mixt with the other colours. The Rump is 

 green : The Chin aih-coloured : The Bread: green : The Belly white, only under the 

 Tail the middle parts of the feathers are black or dusky. 



Each Wing hath eighteen quil-feathers, all blackifh, only the outer edges of the 

 foremoft are green. The Tail confifts of twelve feathers, two inches and a quarter 

 long, and black, with green edges. The Guts have many fpiral convolutions. The 

 b find guts are very ihort. 



This bird was defcribed in the Autumn : He that fold it told us that it changed co- 

 lours thrice in a year, being green in the Autumn, yellow in the Winter, and red in 

 the Spring. Gejneralfo faith, that they are firft-of all red on the Breaft, Neck, and 

 Belly 3 that then they grow 5 ellow r And that they change colour eipecially in Win- 

 ter. Some affirm,that it changes colour every year,fo that it fometimes declines more to 

 yellow, fometimes to green, red, or afh-colour. That it changes its colour with age, 

 or according to the different feafons of the year, we cannot but think probable, be- 

 ing fo well attefted. Perchance alfo in the fame age and feafbn of the year the colour 

 in divers birds may be different. For we faw and bought at Nurenberg in Germany 

 two of this fort of birds brought up together in one Cage, of which one was green, 

 the other red, when the Summer was almoft fpent, and Autumn coming on. But 

 however the colours may differ, this bird is fufficiently character ized by the make of 

 it Bill. Kept in Cages they climb up and down the fides with the Bills and Feet, after 

 the manner of Parrots. 



It is a molt voracious bird 5 much delighted and feeding very fat with Hemp-feed. 

 It alfo loves Fir-kernels, and in the Months of January and February builds its Neft in 

 thofe, or the like trees. They fay, that with one ftroak of its bill, it will in a trice 

 divide an Apple in halves, that it may feed upon the Kernels, by that means doing a 

 great deal of mifchief in Orchards. 



In fome parts of Germany, Bavaria, Suevia, Noricum, they are found in great num- 

 bers all the year round. Sometimes they come over to us, and in the Weftern part of 

 England, eipecially Wercejicrfiire, make bad work, fpoiling a great deal of fruit in 

 our Orchards. 



One thing alfo more ( faith Aldrovandus ) feemeth to me ftrange and unufual in the 

 Crofs-bil/^ that in the Winter-time, when all things fhrink with cold, and other birds 

 are mute, ftiefings$ and in Summer, when other birds fing, fheisfilent. Which whe- 

 ther it be true or no let thofe obferve among whom fuch birds are common. It fings, 

 they fay, veryfweetly. 



Chap. 



