FINCHES. 37 
     
    
   
   
    
     remarkable habit of breedingr in winter, or very 
     
     early in spring, while the weather is still severe. 
     
     The mandibles are hooked and their points are 
     
     crossed. This structure enables them to part the 
     
     scales of cones and readily abstract the seeds on 
     
     which they feed. 
     
    

    
     The American Crossbill (L. America/m) is also 
     
     a red—plumed bird, but has no white bars on its 
     
     wings. Large flocks sometimes come in late 
     
     autumn about our spruce groves, feeding on the 
     
     seeds. They are exceedingly tame and easily 
     
     approached. 
     
    

    
     'l‘he Red—poll Linnet (.Jigz'ot/ms Miami) is 
     
     one of our common winter birds7 though some 
     
     winters it is scarcely seen at all. In size it is 
     
     less than a Sparrow; color above dusky streaked 
     
     with fiaxen; crown dull crimson; under parts 
     
     white, heavily streaked with dusky. Males, in 
     
     late winter, may be seen with rosy breasts and 
     
     rumps. 1n autumn these little birds come in 
     
     compact flocks wandering from grove to grove in 
     
     search of the ripened seeds of the yellow birches. 
     
     On the swaying top of one of these great trees 
     
     they make a happy company, ridingr the abundant 
     
    
   
   
    
     seeds and keepingr each other society with soft,