g r o s b e a k .
Io6
TH E bill in this genus is ftrong, convex above and below,
and very thick at the bafe.
Noftrils fmall and round.
Tongue as if cut off at the end.
Toes placed three * before and one behind’.,
* W i t h F O U R T O E S .
toxia curvirqftra, Lin. Syjt. i. p. 299. N° i.—Fam. Suee. 224. Scojri
am . i. p. zoo.— Kram. el. 365. N° z.—Brun. p. 66. N° 238— Muller,.
N° 244.— Frifch. t. I I .— Georgi Rei/ e, p. 174.
u Bec-ctoiie, Brif. orn. ui, p. 329. N° 1. pi. 17- y — Bef. «/. %
p. 449. pi. 27. f. 2.— PI. enl. 218.
Sheld-apple, or Crofs-bill, Rati fyn. p. 86. Pi.— Will. om. p. 248. t. 45-
— Albin. i. pi. 61 .— Ed'w. pi* 3 9 - 3 Zool. i. N° 115. pi.
Ar&.ZooI.
Br. Mu/. Lew. Mu/i
r- 4- COMMON
CROSSBILL.
D escri i -t i o k . H TH tS bird is about the fize of a Lark, and is fix inches and
A three quarters long.' It is known by the Angularity ,of its
’ bill, both mandibles of which curve oppofite ways, and crofs each
other; the colour of. the upper blackifh, the under grey: hides
cinereous hazel: the colours of the plumage ,are apt to vary : the
male is in general of 'a red-lead,, inclining to rofe-colour, and
more or lefs mixed with brown the under parts are confiderably
paler,.and growing almoft white at the vent: the wings and tail,
are brown; the. laft.a trifle forked.: the legs.black.
F emale.. The female is of a green colour, more or lefs mixed with.
brown in thofe parts where-the male is-red. The young males.
» The laft fpecies excepted,.which has only, two toes before.,
arc
are like the females at firft, changing by degrees into the fine red
colour; but the adult female feldom gets any other tinge than
olive green; however, this rule is not conftant, as both fexes appear
very different, even at different times of the year.
This fpecies is a conftant inhabitant of Sweden, Germany, Poland,
Switzerland, Ruffia, and Sibiria, where it breeds; but migrates
fometimes in vaft flocks into other countries, as is now and then
the cafe in refpeft to England-, for though in fome years a few are
met with, yet in others it has been known to vifit, us by
thoufands-, fixing on fuch fpots as are planted with pines, for the
fake of the feeds, which are its natural food : it is obferved to
hold the cone in one claw, like the Parrot, and to have all the
a&ions of that bird when kept in a cage, which I have known
done for many years *. It, is alfo found in North America and
Groenland, and is faid to make the neft in the . higheft parts
of the fir-trees, fattening it to the branch with the refirious matter
which exudes from the trees ; and that it breeds fo early as
January or February, the young being fit to take in March f .
I never heard of its breeding in England, but know one inftance
of its being fhot at large in the middle of fummer. I have been
told that they have done great damage in orchards, by tearing
the apples to pieces for the fake of the feeds, the only part they
delight in J.
• Frijcb obferves, that i f this bird is fed on hemp-feed, the red colour
will come the fooner. It is quite different in the Houfe Sparrow and Goldfinch,
as the fame food occafions a blacknefs throughout the whole plumage.
•J- Frifch. ^ ^
t This experiment does not fucceed j in a cage, as apples have been put
in along with the bird, who has fuffered them to remain untouched.— Bar-
ring. Mi/c, ,p. 223.