VOL. VI.] NOTES. 61 



On March 27th, 1910, I saw a flock of four or five birds 

 near Gerrards Cross, and on April 1st a nest Mas shou-n to 

 me in Gerrards Cross. The nest (which I have) was on the 

 lateral branch of a larch, about 18 ft. high, and near a 

 main road. There were four eggs, and the young were 

 still in the nest on April 23rd. 



I have no evidence of their presence or nesting in 1911 or 

 1912, though each season I have been told of their " being 



about." R. BULSTRODE. 



CROSSBILL NESTING IN HAMPSHIRE. 



A COMPETENT and reliable observer informs me that he located 

 two nests of Crossbills at Beaulieu on May 18th, 1912. One 

 of these had been knocked out of the tree by boys throwing 

 stones, and it was not possible to say if there were eggs or not. 

 On the other nest the bird appeared to be sitting, but my 

 informant could not be certain, as he was unable to climb to 

 the nest. On June 1st, however, he reported that the old 

 birds were feeding young continually at this nest. The birds 

 have been observed in the neighbourhood for the last twelve 

 months. Thoinias H. C. Troubridge. 



CIRL BUNTING IN MERIONETH. 



As the Cirl Bunting [Emberiza cirlus) is apjDarently a rare 

 bird in Avestern Merioneth, it may be worth recording that on 

 May 9th, 1912, I heard and saw one singing at Tonfanau, 

 near Towyn. I failed however to detect the bird again on 

 two subsequent visits of some hours, so it may have been 

 only a passing bird. In Vol. I., p. 325, Mr. L. W. Crouch 

 records the occurrence of a male at Llwyngwril in June, 

 1907, a few miles distant from the locality I was in. Mr. 

 Rawlings, of Barmouth, tells me he once saw a Cirl Bimting 

 near that town some twenty years ago, but never heard of 

 one since in the district. S. G. Cummings. 



ALBINISTIC REED-BUNTINGS. 

 On June 9th, 1912, \vhile beating over a rough marshy field 

 on the Essex side of the River Lee, my friend, Mr. W. J. 

 Fowler, and I flushed two young Reed-Buntings {Emberiza 

 s. -'.chceyiiclus) which were quite white. They were well able 

 to fly, but by keeping one on the move we at last tired it 

 out, and captured it. 



With the exception of the head, neck, and upper part of 

 the breast, which were slightly tinged with yellow, the 

 plumage was of a beautiful snowy whiteness, not a dark 

 feather showing anywhere, but the eyes were very black in 

 contrast with the rest of the bird. 



