CROSS-BILL = 
A\ lthout their being at all observed. The Nut- 
Crackers, and some other birds, are subjedl 
to the same irregular migrations, which occur 
only once in twenty or thirty years. We 
miglit presume, that the species of the Cross- 
Bill, which prefers the cold climntcs, would be 
found in the north of the New Continent, a-s 
in that of the Old : yet no traveller to Ame- 
rica has taken notice of it. But, besides the 
general presumption, which is verified by ana- 
logy, there is a fa6t which seems to prove oiir 
-opinion.: the Cross -Bill is found in Greenland, 
from whence it was brought to Edwards by 
the AVhale Fishers; and that naturalist, wdio 
was better acquainted thaii any person with the 
.nature of birds, properly remarks, that both 
.the land and the watjer sort which inhabit the 
Ardlic regions, appear indifFerently in tlie 
North of America, and of Kurope. 
The Cross-Bill is one of those birds, the 
colours of which are most subject to varv ; 
.among a great number, wc can scarcely find 
two individuals that arc exactly similar. Nut 
only are the shades of the plumage difFereiit; 
but the positions of the colours change with 
thr 
