AX 
68 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



















countries ; but thefe migrations are fappofed not 
to be conflant and regular, and mav perhaps pro- 
ceed from an accidental fcarcity of that food of 
which they are fond, in thofe countries which 
they generally inhabit; or perhaps they may have 
been carried away by fome ftorm of wind, fot 
they have been obferved to arrive in great nume« 
bers, and fometimes. fo much fatigued, as to be 
ealily caught by the hand: a Crofsbill has beet 
-foundin Greenland, but it was probably acciden- 
tally driven there, as it could not in that dreary 
region have found its proper food. ; 
Crofsbilis in this refpect are faid to differ from 
other birds, that they make their nets in the 
_ depth of winter, in the month of January, on 
the higher branches of fir trées; faflering. them 
with the refin of the fir, and plaftering them im 
fuch a manner with that fubftance, that the wet 
from the fnow, or rain, can never penetrate, 
The corners of the mouth of their young, as i 
-moft other young birds, are, yellow, and itl 3 
probable that the hen lays foie orfive eggs. 
The colours of the plumage of thefe birds 
differ, in. diferent individuals, fearcely any two 
being exactly alike; and the colours in the famé 
bird frequently vary, from a dark blackifh haat 
to thades inclining to red, or green. | 
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