Great Invasion of Crossbills in 1909. 317 



and states that they always came from the south-east and 

 proceeded in a north-westerly direction. 



Signor Coli, of the University of Rome, also alludes to the 

 great abundauce of Crossbills on the Adriatic coast, and 

 notably in the neighbourhood of Tronto and Ascoli-Piccno 

 in the Marche. According to information received by him, 

 the species was first observed in those districts early in June, 

 and continued in evidence there until the end of August, 

 after which date it was not often seen, although it did not 

 entirely disappear until October. 



During the period that the birds remained in these localities 

 they toik up their quarters in some pine-woods, where they 

 congregated in large flocks of from 300 to 400 individuals, 

 sallying forth daily to drink at the water-courses made by the 

 country folk for the purpose of irrigation. 



Throughout the province of Latium and the Roman 

 Campagua, as well as in the immediate vicinity of Rome 

 itself, Crossbills appear to have been frequently observed 

 during the summer months. 



From the more southern provinces of the peninsula 

 reports regarding the recent invasion have been few and far 

 between, but, from personal inquiry, I have ascertained that 

 considerable numbers of Crossbills were observed in the 

 neighbourhood of Naples during the early summer, and it 

 is presumable that the same will have been the case generally 

 throughout the country still further south. 



Around Bari, on the Apulian coast, the species is reported 

 as having been extraordinarily abundant on the 12th of July, 

 and it is also stated as having been numerous at Polignano 

 and Triggiano on the same coast. 



In Calabria it is also reported as having occurred 

 abundantly, and particularly in the neighbourhood of 

 Cotrone, Catanzaro, and Reggio during the months of July 

 and August. 



Coming now to the Italian islands, and commencing 

 with Elba, as having been the first in which the Crossbill 

 invasion of last year was observed — or, at any rate, from 



