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 THE CROSSBIU, AT BALLYHYLAND, CO. WEXFORD. 



BY C. B. MOFFAT. 



According to Mr. Ussher's recent report on the breeding 

 range of birds in Ireland (R.I. A. Proc, (3), vol. iii.), the 

 large numbers of Crossbills observed in this country in 1888-90 

 have diminished. As the Crossbill is now (August, 1894) 

 more plentiful in this part of the County Wexford than I have 

 ever before known it, I think a few notes on the subject of 

 its visitations to our neighbourhood may be worth communi- 

 cating. 



During the period indicated as that of the Crossbill's 

 maximum abundance in Ireland (1888-90), I saw it at Bally- 

 hyland but once, viz., in October, 1889, when I came on a 

 company of some fifteen birds eating Larch-seed in trees by a 

 roadside. But a flock of ten which I saw similarly employed 

 in the woods on January 15th, 1891, may, for aught I know, 

 have previously frequented the vicinity for great part of the 

 autumn and winter months of 1890, during which I had been 

 absent an d could not have discovered them . Again leaving for 

 Dublin on January 17th, not to return till mid-June, I saw no 

 more of these birds ; and careful search during the summer and 

 winter of 1891 failed to give any indications of their presence. 



But on August 12th, 1892, noticing a footpath strewn with 

 green Larch-cones freshly hacked after the characteristic 

 manner of the Crossbill, I looked around more carefully, and 

 in a few minutes saw a party of the birds feeding near me. 

 Further investigation during the next few days revealed the 

 presence of several small flocks of Crossbills in different parts 

 of the woods. There were companies of seventeen, of twelve, of 

 three, and probably others, each party having its favourite feed- 

 ing grounds, where it might be found almost at stated hours 

 daily. The regularly-frequented trees were all Larches. At 

 odd times I saw a few Crossbills making a meal of Scotch Fir- 

 cones, or lighting on little patches of ground sprinkled over with 

 the debris of such a feast. But at no time of their residence 

 with us, which lasted for at least five months, and probably 

 longer, did they make more than an occasional repast in any 

 coniferous tree except the Larch. 



I had many opportunities of watching these birds during 

 August, September, and October, and again (after a two 



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