obtained in other parts of Scandinavia, Mr. W. C. He wit-
son, in his notes on the Ornithology of Norway, says, .“ The
Common Crossbills would now and then cross our road through O.
the forest, but in such rapid flight that it required great, exertion
to keep pace with them as they passed from tree to tree,
examining the cones of the pines. Of the Parrot Crossbill we
obtained two specimens.
This species has not, that I am aware, been found in
North America, although from its high northern geographical
range in Europe this might have leen expected. I t is
distinguished from the Common Crossbill by its greater
comparative length, its more bulky body, and the much
greater thickness of the beak at its base.
A young bird of the year, in the possession of Mr. John
Leadbeater, has the beak of a blackish horn, colour; the Head,
heck, lower part of the back, and all the undèr surface of the
body, greyish white, thickly streaked longitudinally with dark
greyish brown; the rump, heck, and breast, slightly tinged
with yellow ; wing-coverts dark brown, both sets tipped with
pale brown; wings and tail-feathers, blackish brown, also,
tipped with pale brown ; legs lead colour; "claws black.
An older male, after his first moult, has the head, back,;
rump, and upper tail-coverts, the throat, neck, ancPbreast','
tile re d ; darkest on the back, lightest on the. rump..i„.th^
feathers of the back and breast still retaining many of thé
dusky brown streaks which mark the first plumage ; ' the*-beak'
dark brown, the under mandible reddish brown at the base ;:
the irides hazelwings, quill-feathers, and tail, uniform dark
brown ; legs, toes, and claws, also dark brown.
Mr. Bartlett’s bird was a red male, in. the moult when
killed, and all the new feathers when coming were of a
greenish yellow.
The female does not at any time differ greatly from the
young male of the year, before: assuming his second, suit.
The upper parts are greenish ash with patches of brown;
throat and neck grey, clouded with yellowish brown ; the rest
of the under surface ash colour, varied with yellowish green ;
rump yellow ; vent and under tail-coverts greyish white, the
base of each feather greyish browfr.
M. Nilsson has figured a bright red male, and a female in
plumage, as last described, in illustration of this species in
his Scandinavian Fauna. '
The whole length*- of a male in red plumage is seven
inehelland five-eighths.. Extent "of wingsHMlve’ inches.
From the carpal id- the end of the longest’quill-feather
not quite fodr inches;^the wing in its form and relative
length of the quill-feathersreseipbleS thalT of the Common
Crossbill1 :f the- first quill-feather the longest; the5 second
qifii-feather a very;;frM'l:^hOTter. than the. first; the third a
Iftfie' shorter thafe the second, and the fourth feather-one
quarter of affincfr&horter than the- third.-’
r" Mr. Mac^fiwray, In his wc8ffiL gives the measurements of
^lS ig h ffexamp]1e'5Pl^f^lsi^eci?l,‘" probably from the specimen
utt the Edinburgh Muiium :— “ Length to the? end of the
tail, eight inch|$J, ;wing. from flexure, four inches* three-
twelfths.”
^d’The vignette|®elow represents -the breast-bone of the
Parrot Crossbill and that of the- Common1 Crossbill.