Loxia coccothraustes, LINNÆUS; Le Grosbec, BUFFON; Der gemeine
Kernbeisser, BECHSTEIN.
One must be a very great bird fancier to wish to have this bird in the
house. Its length is seven inches, of which the tail measures two inches
and a third. The beak, which is very thick in proportion to the rest of
the body, is like a large blunt cone, dark blue in summer, and
flesh-coloured, with the tip black, in winter; the slim feet are nine
lines in height, and of a pale crimson; the yellowish brown of the
forehead unites with the light chestnut on the top of the head and
cheeks; the circle of the head is black, and forms, under the chin, a
large square spot; the nape of the neck and upper part of the back are
of a fine ash-grey, the lower part is of a dark brown, with some shades
of grey on the rump.
[Illustration: BREEDING CAGE.]
In the females, the cheeks, head, and upper tail coverts are of a
greyish chestnut colour; the throat, wings, and tail rather brown than
black, the spot on the wings greyish, the under part of the body reddish
grey, shading to white on the belly.
HABITATION.--When wild, it may be found in all the temperate parts of
Europe and Russia. It is very common among the mountainous countries
of Germany, where the beech prevails in the forests. It is rather an
erratic bird than a bird of passage, and its excursions are ended in
March. Sonnini says, however, that he has seen it during winter, in
Egypt, with the blackbirds and thrushes, and its excursions are ended
in March.
In the house it is generally kept in a large wire cage, where it is
soon tamed. It may also be let run about, provided it has not too
many companions, and that it has food in abundance, for it is a very
quarrelsome bird.
FOOD.--In its wild state it eats many different things; the fruit of
the beech, elm, ash, and maple; the berries of the juniper,
service-tree, and white-thorn; cherries and plums, the stones of
which it breaks with the greatest ease, to eat the kernel; hemp seed,
cabbage, radish, and lettuce seed also form a part of its food.
In the house, if confined in the cage, it is contented with rape and
hemp-seed; and if it run about, with the second universal paste.
BREEDING.--Its nest is well built; the eggs, from three to five in
number, are greenish grey, spotted with brown, and streaked with
blackish blue. The young, when reared from the nest, will become so
tame as to eat from the hand, and will courageously defend itself
with its beak against the dogs and cats; it may also be accustomed to
go and come.
MODE OF TAKING.--The haste with which these birds come on hearing the
call, makes it very easy to catch them in the net, by throwing
berries or hemp seed on the trap. In autumn and winter they may be
taken by the noose, with service-berries; in spring they may be
caught by placing lime twigs on the nest. The loss of their liberty
does not prevent their eating immediately rape or hemp seed.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--I confess that it has very few; its song is
less agreeable than any of the others', it is a kind of low
whistling, mixed with some harsh tones; but its great tameness may
please; it is necessary, however, to guard one's self from its beak.