Great Invasion of Crossbills in 1909. 341 



is not a common one in Belgium, and is of irregular passage 

 there. 



Netherlands and Denmark. — What I have just said 

 regarding Belgium will probably also apply to the Nether- 

 lands and Denmark. 



Germany. — The recent invasion of Crossbills appears to 

 have been of considerable magnitude and to have spread 

 generally throughout the whole or greater portion of 

 Germany. According to reports published in the ' Ornitho- 

 logische Monatsberichte' and from information received from 

 other sources, large numbers of the species were observed in 

 many districts from the middle of June onwards throughout 

 the summer and autumn. Among such districts may be 

 specially mentioned the coast-regions of the North Sea, 

 Heligoland, the East Frisian Islands, Pomerania, Hanover, 

 Brandenburg, the Rhine Provinces, Saxony, Bavaria, Wiir- 

 temberg, and Baden. No doubt there have been other 

 districts and localities where the incursion has been very 

 noticeable, but detailed information concerning them, and 

 regarding the invasion generally, will probably be forth- 

 coming in later numbers of the above-mentioned journal and 

 in other publications. 



Switzerland. — As regards Switzerland Dr. Goeldi, of Berne, 

 in reply to my inquiries, has kindly sent me a copy of a 

 paper by Dr. H. Fischer-Sigwart, of Zofingen, published in 

 the Verhandlungen of the Schweiz. Naturforsch. Gesell- 

 schaft for 1909, which contains an excellent account of the 

 invasion of the Crossbill into that country. It is sufficient 

 to say that in 1909 it was observed in many Cantons of 

 Switzerland, and in some places in large flocks. It is said 

 to have nested in July near Zofingen, and in other places. 



Austria- Hungary. — The Crossbill invasion appears to have 

 been conspicuous throughout the greater portion of these 

 countries, and vast numbers are reported as having been 

 observed in many districts. 



A report on the subject, published in the Hungarian 

 ornithological journal 'Aquila' for 1909, a copy of which 



