. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 98 NATURAL HISTORX. very little arched, and having two or three keels jilaced close together. In this section are found the Crossbills and the Buntings, the latter forming a large gi-oup of birds which are especially developed in the New World. The palate in most of the last-named birds is remarkable for a long tubercle, which is very plainly seen iii an examination of an ordinary Yellow-hammer or common Bunting. The difference in the form of bill between that of a Bunting and true Finch is well represented in Professor Macgillivray's &quo
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 98 NATURAL HISTORX. very little arched, and having two or three keels jilaced close together. In this section are found the Crossbills and the Buntings, the latter forming a large gi-oup of birds which are especially developed in the New World. The palate in most of the last-named birds is remarkable for a long tubercle, which is very plainly seen iii an examination of an ordinary Yellow-hammer or common Bunting. The difference in the form of bill between that of a Bunting and true Finch is well represented in Professor Macgillivray's " British ; * To the present. section belong the Crossbills, perhaps the most interesting bird of the family as regards its structure. The Crossbills, as a rule, are inhabitants of the northern parts of the Old and New Worlds, though the Himalayas possess one species. The name Crossbill is attached to the bird from the peculiar way in which the mandibles cross each other, giving the bill a very singular appearance. All the species are inhabitants of northern climes, where they frequent conifer forests both in the Old and the New World,t " extracting the seeds of pines and firs from the cones by means of their powerful and curiously- constructed bill, the points of which appear to have recei\'ed their lateral curvature from the force applied ill tliat clirection to the scales. The hard, .spoon-shaped tongue seems to be the instrument by whicli the seeds are then taken up. They are gregai-ious, and wander about in search of their favourite food, appearing at intervals in places not usually frequented by ; With regard to the well-known legend of the Crossbill, the verses of Longfellow on the next page will recur to many readers. *Plate VIII., Vol. I., Figs. 7, 8. t Macgilli\ : "British Birds," I., p. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - c
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