‘THE GROSBEAKS. 81 
. The Cross-bill is too curious a bird to be overlooked. It 
<s common in all the northern kingdoms of Europe, and some- 
times visits England. Besides the singularity of its bill, it is 
remarked for varying its colours. The males, which are red, 
a |ter sometimes to orange ; the females, which are green, to 
different shades of the same colour. It is about the size of 
a lark, and feeds on the cones of pines, and pippings of fruit. 
They are said to divide an apple w'ith one stroke of the bill to 
get at the contents. 
The Bullfinch is too well known to need a description. It 
Is chiefly remarkable for its capability of being taught to 
S) ng and whistle different tunes. Some varieties have been 
found black, and some perfectly white. 
The Greenfinch is also well known, being about the size 
ar *d shape of the bullfinch, and of a yellowish green. This 
olrd is so easily tamed, that it will eat out of the hand five mi- 
nutes after it is taken. To produce this effect, no more is 
Necessary than to take it into the dark and put it on your 
f‘ n ger, to which the bird will cautiously adhere; as it does not 
know whither to fly, you may then introduce the finger of the 
other hand under its breast, upon which it will climb, and, 
n °t finding any disposition to hurt it, will presently become 
tame and familiar. 
Among the foreign birds of this genus is that beautiful little 
an imal, so well known for its red bill and elegant plumage, 
^’hieh generally goes under the name of the java Sparrow. 
J Te spotted Grosbeak is a native of New England. 
. .The Bunt i so genus are distinguished by a strong conic 
! J|I1 > and in the root’ of the upper mandible a hard knob to 
f eak and grind seeds. 
The first of this species which we shall mention, is a bird 
'"ell known by the name of the yellow-hammer, and distin- 
guished by the crown of the head' being generally of a beau- 
tl *ul pale yellow. It is a bird little esteemed, as its voice is 
Monotonous, and possesses but little melody. 
. E he Common Bunting is the size of the former, but stouter 
M the body. It is of a pale olive-brown. They collect in 
ock s in the winter, and are often seen on the branch of some 
k a,e tree in immense numbers. They are caught and sold, 
/° m the similarity of their plumage, for larks, and are called 
^ting-larks. * 
h j e Sparrow inhabits marshy places. In the male the 
oad, chin and throat are black, with a white ring round its 
The upper parts of the body are brownish red, with a 
