Perching Birds. 
The American Two-Barred 
Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera ) is said to 
have occurred in the British Islands. 
It is scarcely to be distinguished from 
the European form, but it is rather 
more crimson in tint, and has the 
scapulars blacker. 
Is a resident bird 
THE BULLFINCH. 
(. Pyrrhula europaa.) 
in nearly every por- 
The Bullfinch. 
tion of the British 
Islands, frequenting woods and gardens, 
and in the spring-time doing great 
damage to the latter by eating the buds 
of the fruit-trees. The Bullfinch is a 
very shy bird and is more often heard 
than seen, but when darting from one 
tree to another it may generally be 
recognised by the white on the 
rump, which is conspicuous in flight. 
The form of the Bullfinch is quite 
characteristic, the bullet head and conical bill being unlike those of any other 
European Finch, and these peculiarities distinguish Bullfinches from all parts of 
Northern Europe and Asia; in most cases the male has a scarlet breast and the 
female a grey or brown one, but there are certain species in which both sexes are 
grey and no scarlet is seen on the male. The nest is a very neat one, made of twigs 
and lined with fine rootlets and ornamented on 
the outside by a fringe of scattered twigs which 
add to the beauty of its appearance. The eggs 
are four or six in number, of a clear blue with 
distinct spots and blotches of purplish brown. 
This is a large race of our 
Common Bullfinch, inhabit- 
ing Northern Europe and Si- 
beria, which has occurred at 
least three times in England, and probably more 
often. Two were shot on the Yorkshire coast 
and one in Norfolk, so that the bird may be con- 
sidered an accidental visitor to our east coast. It 
is not only a larger bird than our ordinary species, 
but it is brighter in colour and the red of the breast 
is purer and clearer than in P. europcea. Its 
habits are the same as those of the latter bird. 
THE GREATER 
BULLFINCH. 
(Pyrrhula pyrrhula.) 
The Greater Bullfinch. 
