GENUS 35. CURVIROSTllA. CROSSBILL. 
SPECIES 1. C. AMERICANA* 
AMERICAN CROSSBILL. 
[Plate XXXI. — Fig. 1, Male. — Fig. 2, Female.Y^ 
Peale’s Museum,, JVb. 5640. 
On first glancing at the bill of this extraordinary bird one is 
apt to pronounce it deformed and monstrous; but on attentively 
observing the use to which it is applied by the owner, and the 
dexterity with which he detaches the seeds of the pine tree from 
the cone, and from the husks that enclose them, we are obliged to 
confess on this as on many other occasions where we have judged 
too hastily of the operations of nature, that no other conformation 
could have been so excellently adapted to the purpose; and that 
its deviation from the common form, instead of being a defect or 
monstrosity, as the celebrated French naturalist insinuates, is a 
striking proof of the wisdom and kind superintending care of the 
great Creator. 
This species is a regular inhabitant of almost all our pine fo- 
rests situated north of 40°, from the beginning of September to 
the middle of April. It is not improbable that some of them re- 
main during summer within the territory of the United States 
to breed. Their numbers must, however, be comparatively few, 
as I have never yet met with any of them in summer; though 
I lately took a journey to the Great Pine swamp beyond Pocano 
mountain, in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, in the month 
of May, expressly for that purpose; and ransacked for six or seven 
* This is not a new species, as supposed by Wilson, but the Loxia citrviros- 
tra, Linn. Ed. 10, p. 171. 
f This is an adult male; fig 1 is a young bird. 
