158 
AMERICAN CROSSBILL. 
days the gloomy recesses of that extensive and desolate morass, 
without being able to discover a single Crossbill. In fall, how- 
ever, as well as in winter and spring, this tract appears to be 
their favourite rendezvous; particularly about the head waters 
of the Lehigh, the banks of the Tobyhanna, Tunkhannock, and 
Bear creek, where I have myself killed them at these seasons. 
They then appear in large flocks, feeding on the seeds of the 
hemlock and white pine, have a loud, sharp, and not unmusical 
note; chatter as they fly; alight during the prevalence of deep 
snows before the door of the hunter, and around the house, 
picking off the clay with which the logs are plastered, and 
searching in corners where urine or any substance of a saline 
quality had been thrown. At such times they are so tame as 
only to settle on the roof of the cabin when disturbed, and a 
moment after descend to feed as before. They are then easily 
caught in traps; and will frequently permit one to approach so 
near as to knock them down with a stick. Those killed and 
opened at such times, are generally found to have the stomach 
filled with a soft greasy kind of earth or clay. When kept in a 
cage they have many of the habits of the Parrot; often climbing 
along the wires; and using their feet to grasp the cones in, while 
taking out the seeds. 
This same species is found in Nova Scotia, and as far north 
as Hudson’s bay, arriving at Severn river about the latter end 
of May; and, according to accounts, proceeding farther north to 
breed. It is added, that “they return at the first setting in of 
frost.”* 
Hitherto this bird has, as usual, been considered a mere va- 
riety of the European species; though differing from it in several 
respects; and being nearly one-third less; and although the singu- 
lar conformation of the bill of these birds and their peculiarity 
of manners are strikingly different from those of the Grosbeaks, 
yet many, disregarding these plain and obvious discriminations, 
still continue to consider them as belonging to the genus Loxia; 
as if the particular structure of the bill should, in all cases but 
Pennant. 
