292 Transactions of the [Sess. 



tions I concluded tliey must be these birds ; but, stealing up to 

 within fifteen yards of them, I saw their colour quite distinctly, 

 and was convinced that I had never identified any such species 

 before. The males and females could easily be distinguished — the 

 rose-coloured red on the breast and forepart of neck being very 

 visible on some of the birds, presumably the former, whilst on 

 others it was nearly or entirely awanting. Saving on that one 

 occasion, I never saw them before nor since. 



The Crossbill {Loxia curvirostra) is a more assured visitor to 

 Stobo than the preceding species. The first occasion on which it 

 came under my notice was towards the end of August in 1873, 

 when a few small parties appeared and attracted attention by their 

 peculiar and far-sounding note. One or two being shot, their 

 identity was proved beyond doubt, and shortly thereafter I became 

 aware that large numbers had arrived in the district. Almost any 

 day one or more flocks might be seen composed of from six to 

 twelve individuals, and sometimes the numbers reached to upwards 

 of twenty. Most extensive feeding-grounds were at their disposal 

 in the large Pine woods ; but the birds showed a decided preference 

 for the smaller plantations, clumps, and straggling trees. The 

 Larch was at first almost exclusively resorted to, the seeds from the 

 cones near the top of the tree being always preferred. An instance 

 of their acuteness in distinguishing these trees from others once 

 came before me. A flock flew past at their usual rapid rate, and, 

 going in a straight line, would soon have disappeared ; but sud- 

 denly they turned at right angles and flew straight to a single 

 Larch, which they had espied in the midst of other trees many 

 hundred yards away. Their flight, except for its superior swift- 

 ness, is very much like that of the Greenfinch [Coccothraustes 

 chloris), and while on the wing their call-note is repeated almost 

 incessantly. This latter is not easily described, but has somewhat 

 of a ringing clearness about it, — the words " clink-a-link " pro- 

 nounced quickly may perhaps convey a slight idea of the sound. 

 On a quiet day the united voices of a flock are audible five hundred 

 yards off", consequently they are often heard when not seen. All 

 through the winter of 1873 and during the following spring the 

 Crossbills remained in the locality. A number probably shifted 

 their quarters early in spring, as they w^ere not noticed so fre- 

 quently towards the end of the season. One was shot from a flock 

 of six or seven on 23d April, and I observed two in May ; they 

 were male and female, and the former was feeding the latter, which 

 is an act I am inclined to believe they perform to a certain extent 

 throughout the year, as during their stay I remarked the operation 

 several times. No nest was found, though it is very probable that 

 a few might have been built ; and it seemed to me rather remark- 

 able that those birds which remained all spring were invariably 



