Yol. XIX 1 
1902 J 
Hill, White-winged Crossbill in Captivity. 
T 3 
THE WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL IN CAPTIVITY. 
BY JAMES HAYNES HILL. 
The ornithologists of Connecticut will long remember the winter 
of 1899-1900, that brought to them the rare avian visitors from 
the North, the Red Crossbills and, rarer still, the White-winged 
Crossbills ( Loxia leucoptera). 
While many of the Red Crossbills extended their wanderings as 
far south as Washington, the White-wings were content to abide 
in the old Nutmeg State, and were frequently reported, feeding 
and otherwise, in company with the Red Crossbills, staying as 
late as February 27, according to Mr. H. W. Beers’s field notes 
taken at Bridgeport (and to whom I am greatly indebted for the 
use of the fine series of Crossbills loaned me for comparison and 
examination), and later still, to March 1, at which date the captives, 
the subject of my sketch, were taken. 
It was a few days after their capture that a lady friend, Mrs. 
Albert Beebe, of New London, Conn., sent word that she had a 
pair of strange, red colored, wild birds, with criss-cross bills and 
white patches on the wings. They were indeed the rara avis , the 
White-winged Crossbill and in perfect plumage — male and female 
birds. 
Upon inquiry I learned that several had been easily enticed into 
a bird cage, baited with bird seed, this pair selected, and the others 
liberated. She also said at least fifteen or twenty birds (some 
without the white-wing patches, evidently the Red Crossbills), 
were often seen, during the winter, feeding on the spruce and 
Scotch larch cones in the groves, growing in the vicinity, that they 
had become quite tame, but were not seen after March 1. 
The captives were quite tame, in fact tamer than some of her 
pet canaries, and they were daily allowed their liberty and would 
fly about the room, the male at times singing his queer little song. 
They are now very fond of their mistress, who has taken great 
pains to make their captivity as light as possible. 
They bathe, drink, and are fed on the same food as the canaries, 
and take kindly to the little dainties provided — chickweed and 
bits of fruit or vegetables, and I write with truth that “ Mi-lord ” 
