LOXIA.
Bill compressed sideways, and mandibles cross, lower usually to left of upper ; haunt pine forests, and nest high in conifers ; eggs pale bluisl} white, marked chiefly at larger end with purple spots and dashes.
Loxia curvirostra curvirostra L. CROSSBILL. Fr.
Bec-crois ; Ger. Kreuzschnabel ; 1/al. Crocicre ; Swed. Kryssnibb.
j adult. Brick red, brighter on rump. Full red plumage not acquired until 3rd or 4th year, but birds breed in immature plumage. Bill, legs and feet brown. Wing j 95-102, ? 91-98. Tarsus 15-18. Bill 17-18. Height of upper mandible at base 7.2-8.2. Breadth of lower mandible at base to-8-11.4. ? Red replaced by greenish yellow ; greyer in winter. Young : above brown, streaked with whitish or greenish yellow, beneath paler, abdomen whitish with yellow tinge.
Rrceds.—Europe generally from Lapland and N. Russia south to Pyrenees, Mountain ranges of S. and C. Europe to Carpathians and Greece. Migrations irregular to S. and \V.
L. curvirostra hispana Ilartert. Bill long and slender,j 1S-19, ? 16-18. Height of upper mandible 7. Breadth of lower mandible 11.
Resident.—Spain.
L. curvirostra scotica Ilartert. Bill thicker, upper mandible very long and overhanging, recalling "pityopsittacus." Wing j 98-104, ? 94-99. Bill 16-17. Height upper mandible 8.2-8.6. Breadth lower at base, 12-13.6.
Resident.—Scottish Highlands.
L. curvirostra balearica (Homeyer). Bill short and thick with overhanging upper mandible. Wing MO.
Resident—Al ajorca.
L. eurvirostra poliogyna Whitaker. Paler, greyer (especially on breast) than in typical form. Males in full crimson dress rare.
and Algeria.
L. curvirostra eorsieana Tschusi. Shorter-winged, 97-too, 93-98. Bill hither at base.
Resident.—Corsica.
L. curvirostra eaueasica Buturlin. d brighter red. Wing 92-Too. Height upper mandible 7.2-8. Resident. —Caucasus.
Loxia pityopsitta,cus Borkhausen. PARROT CROSSEILL. Fr. Bec-croise perroquet ; Ger. Grosser Kreuzschnabel ; Swed. Storre Korsnabb.
Generally much larger than "curvirostra." Wing j 10.4 1o8 (H.), 99-106 (W.). Bill very massive, depth at base length 19-21, height upper mandible 9-10, breadth lower mandible 13-16 (H.).
Breeds.—Scandinavia and N. Russia to 64' N., south to Baltic Provinces and Poland. In winter, irregular in W. and Central Europe to Austria, N. Italy and Britain (rare).
Loxia leucoptera bifasciata (Brehm). TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL. Fr. Bec-croise bifascie; Ger. Weissbindiger Kreuz schnabel; Sweet. Bande Korsnabb.
Resembles "curvirostra" but is smaller, and has two broad white wing bands, scapulars brown. Wing j 89-96, 85-91. Bill 15-16.
Resident in pine forests of extreme N. Europe, flocking irregularly south through W. and Central Europe from Volga to Rumania, Hungary, N. Italy, Switzerland and France, Britain (rare).
In N. Russia and Siberia the red seems constantly brighter, paler and more pink. "L. 1. elegans" Homeyer. A British specimen in Tring Museum appears to be of this form.
Typical "L. 1. leucoptera" Gmelin is a N. American form, of doubtful occurrence in Britain ; has smaller, finer bill, and brown on upper parts much darker.