THE TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL. 

 Loxia bifasciata (C. L. Brehm). 

 Plate 17. 



The Two-barred Crossbill, whose summer home is in the pine-forest regions of 

 northern Russia and Asia, has occurred a good many times in the British Islands, 

 and may be distinguished from our bird by the double bars on the wings. 



Mr. Dresser writes in his Birds of Europe: "The nest closely resembles that 

 of Loxia curvirostra, but is smaller, and somewhat slighter in structure ; and the 

 eggs are somewhat darker in ground-colour than those of that species, and smaller 

 in size, but otherwise closely resemble them." 



In habits these two species are very much alike. 



The female has no red in her plumage, being principally of a greenish-grey, 

 tinged with yellow on the upper parts, and greyish-white and yellowish below. 



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