Range. - Northern North America, breeding in the Alleghanies and from northern New England northward; winters south to the mid dle portions of the United States and casually farther.

The birds are very curious both in appearance and actions, being very "flighty" and restless, and apt to remain to breed on any of the mountains. They build dur ing March or April, making their nests of twigs, rootlets, moss, feathers, etc., and placing them in forks or on branches of trees (usually conifers) at any height from the ground. The eggs are greenish white, spotted with brown and with lavender shell markings; size .75 x .55.

Greenish white

Greenish white.

Crossbill

Crossbill.

521a. Mexican Crossbill. Loxia Curvirostra Strichlandi

Range. - Mountain ranges from central Mexico north to Wyoming. A larger variety of the preceding. The eggs will not differ except perhaps a trifle in size.