338 Mr. Joseph I. S. Whitaker on the 



localities, aud generally for a lack of properly recorded 

 observations. 



The following statistics which I have obtained regarding 

 last year's Crossbill invasion are fairly ample in some few 

 cases, but very meagre in others. Those from Italy I give 

 at greater length than those from other countries, from 

 which detailed reports have either already been published 

 or will probably be so shortly. 



British Isles. — Judging from the statistics given in 

 < British Birds' (vol. iii. pp. 82, 123, 1G2, 190-194, 

 226-228), and from reports published in other periodicals 

 and newspapers, the Crossbill-invasion of 1909 was fairly 

 conspicuous throughout a considerable portion of our country, 

 the eastern, and more particularly the south-eastern counties, 

 as well as the small islands off the Scottish coasts, having 

 apparently been visited by the w r anderers more than other 

 parts. The mainland of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the 

 extreme south-western portion of England appear to have 

 been the least visited by the Crossbill, although even from 

 these districts a few cases of its occurrence have been 

 reported, and no doubt many more have escaped notice 

 and remained unrecorded. 



On the whole, it may be said that the wave of the Cross- 

 bills' erratic migration spread practically over the whole of 

 the British Islands, having been more marked in the eastern 

 than iu the western portion of the Kingdom. 



The first arrivals of the bird appear to have been observed 

 towards the end of June, from which date onwards, through- 

 out the summer and autumn months, the species was met 

 with, in greater or lesser numbers, in most parts of our 

 country. 



At Fair Isle the earliest arrivals were observed on the 

 23rd of June; the numbers of birds that swarmed on this 

 small island were very great, as many as 300 being seen 

 some days. The same may perhaps be said of the Shetlands 

 and Orkneys. 



There can be no doubt whatever that, with the exception 



