Part 69

From Pennsylvania and New Jersey, in winter, eastward to Newfoundland. Breeds from Maine northward. Common. Migratory.

Pine Grosbeak, Loxia Enucleator, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 80.

Pyrrhula Enucleator, Bonap. Syn. p. 119.

Pyrrhula (Corythus) Enucleator, Pine Bullfinch, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 262.

Pine Grosbeak or Bullfinch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 535.

Pine Grosbeak, Pyrrhula Enucleator, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 414.

GENUS XIII. LOXIA, Linn. CROSSBILL.

Bill rather long, stout at the base, where it is much higher than broad, extremely compressed toward the end, the mandibles towards their extremity deflected to opposite sides, so as to cross each other; upper mandible with the dorsal line convex and deflected, the sides slightly convex, the edges sharp, and towards the end united, the tip excessively compressed and decurved; lower mandible with its angle semicircular, the dorsal line ascending and convex, the edges sharp, inflected, and approximated at the tip, which is extremely acute. Nostrils small, basal, round, covered by the short bristly feathers. Head large, broadly ovate; neck short; body compact. Feet rather short and strong; tarsus short, compressed, with seven scutella; toes of moderate size, the first strong, the lateral nearly equal. Claws long, arched, very slender, much compressed, tapering to a fine point, that of the middle toe nearly as long as that of the first. Plumage soft, full, and blended. Two tufts of bristly feathers at the base of the upper mandible directed forwards. Wings of moderate length, pointed, the outer three primaries longest, the first generally exceeding the rest. Tail short, distinctly emarginate. Roof of the mouth concave, with three ridges, of which the median is much smaller; tongue deeper than broad, at the end oblong, obtuse, concave above, and horny; œsophagus dilated into a very large crop; stomach roundish, muscular, with the epithelium rugous; intestine of moderate length; cœca very small.

200. 1. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. Common Crossbill.

Plate CXCVII. Male, Female, and Young.

Male dull light red, inclining to vermilion; the wings and tail blackish-brown, the feathers narrowly margined with dull red. Female with the upper parts greyish-brown, tinged with green, the rump dull greenish-yellow, the sides of the head and neck of the same colour as the back, the lower parts pale greyish-yellow, brighter on the fore part of the breast, wings and tail as in the male, but the feathers edged with dull yellowish. Young with the central part of the feathers greyish-brown, the edges yellowish-grey, the upper parts thus appearing spotted, the lower streaked with dusky. Young males vary in the tints of the plumage from yellowish-green to orange and vermilion.

Male, 7, 10.

From Maryland eastward and northward, to lat. 52. Breeds in Pennsylvania, New York, and the north-eastern States to Nova Scotia. Common. Migratory.

American Crossbill, Curvirostra americana, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 44.

Loxia curvirostra, Bonap. Syn. p. 117.

Common Crossbill, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 583.

Common Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 559; v. v. p. 511.

201. 2. Loxia leucoptera, Gmel. White-winged Crossbill.

Plate CCCLXIV. Male, Female, and Young.

Bill excessively compressed, with the mandibles less curved. Male rich carmine, inclining to crimson; the feathers on the fore part and middle of the back dusky, excepting the tips; the scapulars, wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail black; two broad bands of white on the wings, the anterior formed by the first row of small coverts, and several of those adjoining, the other by the secondary coverts, of which the basal half only is black. Female with the feathers of the upper parts dusky, edged with greyish-yellow, the rump wax-yellow; the wings and tail as in the male, but with the white bands of less breadth; lower parts yellowish-grey, streaked with dusky, the fore part of the breast wax-yellow. Young similar to the female, but with the lower parts dull yellowish-grey, spotted and streaked with dark brown.

Male, 6-1/2, 10-5/8. Female, 6-1/4, 10.

During winter, as far south as Maryland. Not uncommon in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where a few breed. Common in Maine, Nova Scotia, Labrador, and the Fur Countries. Migratory.

White-winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p. 48.

Loxia leucoptera, Bonap. Syn. p. 117.

White-winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p.

Loxia leucoptera, White-winged Crossbill, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 263.

White-winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 540.

White-winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 467.