THE CROSSBILL BREEDING IN ENGLAND. 237 



migrate at all in the summer, some of them, the young birds 

 perhaps, certainly remain behind, for some are to be seen 

 here every month in the year. 



They generally fly in flocks of from five to twenty, or up- 

 wards, hurrying along from plantation to plantation with an 

 irregular flight, and a note expressive of alarm ; when they 

 are settled the note is changed into one of a lower tone, which 

 continues in a sort of running colloquial gazouillement, while 

 they feed on the cones of the larch, the spruce fir, or Scotch 

 pine. The male bird has a gentle agreeable song, and I have 

 this year frequently observed one singing, in fine weather, 

 perched alone upon the summit of a fir. 



The appearance of these birds, no longer occasional acci- 

 dental passengers, but, it would seem, permanently domicili- 

 ated among us, is very remarkable. If the climate and lati- 

 tude of England should suit their habits, why should they 

 not always have been found in our island ? 



Perhaps the cause of their appearance is to be ascribed to 

 the enormous extent of plantations of coniferous trees, — the 

 growth almost entirely of the present century, and now invit- 

 ing the crossbills by the abundance of fruit they offer. And 

 indeed their appearance may be only a re-appearance ; for, 

 if ever in distant ages the Scotch and spruce firs were com- 

 mon in Britain, these birds might have inhabited our forests. 

 Traces of the existence of these trees are too familiar in our 

 peat-bogs to leave a doubt of their having been originally and 

 indigenously most abundant ; although the excellence of their 

 timber, suitable to all purposes, in season at all times of the 

 year, easily cut, and easily convertible, — led then perhaps to 

 their reckless consumption and almost total extinction, as it 

 is now leading, under more prudent management, to their re- 

 establishment throughout the country. With the re-appear- 

 ance of these coniferous trees occurs the appearance of the 

 crossbills which feed upon them. 



It seemed probable, after observing them here in every 

 month of the year, and in increasing numbers annually, that 

 they bred here ; and, according to M. Neckar's observation, 

 their nidification commences very early, almost in the winter. 

 I therefore, early in February last, urged upon the attention 

 of the labourers hereabouts, to keep a diligent watch in the 

 plantations; and this day (April 13th) I have had the satis- 

 faction of receiving a nest with four eggs, from the Holt fo- 

 rest in this neighbourhood. This is the third nest that has 

 been met with in the Holt ; the first was taken with two eggs ; 

 and then, on the 7th of April, one with four young birds, ap- 

 parently above a fortnight old, which would date the com- 



