88 HHITISIl BIRDS. [vol. vi 



6th, Kent : Blackcap with four eggs and a Cuckoo's, incuba- 

 tion commenced. 



My previous earliest date for Lesser Whjtethroat is May 8th 

 (1904), and for the Cuckoo May 20th (1892). in the nest of a 

 Redbreast. May 1st for Blackcap and May 4th for Lesser 

 Whitethroat are probably new records. P. F. Buxyard. 



[With regard to the Lesser Whitethroat, Mr. J. E. Harting 

 states that an egg was found at Willesden on April 28th ; and 

 Mr. S. G. Cummings has recorded a nest with five eggs 

 (incubation begun) near Chester, on May 6th, 1902. This 

 latter instance is of course from considerably fuither north. — 



F. C. R. JOURDAIN.] 



CROSSBILLS BREEDING IN SUFFOLK FOR THE 

 THIRD YEAR IN SUCCESSION. 



Though apparently there were not so many Crossbills [Loxia 

 c. curvirostra) breeding in England in 1912 as in 1910 and 1911, 

 nevertheless in Suffolk a fair number successfully got off with 

 young, and one or tAvo nests met Avith their usual fate of being 

 destroyed by squirrels. This scarcity of birds Mas undoubtedly 

 due to the almost total failure of the cone crop. I have heaid 

 that they were also quite absent on their usual breeding- 

 grounds in many parts of Scandinavia owing to the failure of 

 the spruce cones. Should there be a failure in the food- 

 supply abroad this year, I think we may look forward to a 

 big immigration this autumn, as the Scotch pines are loaded 

 with new cones, especially in this district. 



On January 17th I received advices that Crossbills had 

 been seen in Suffolk in fair numbers, and that a partly com- 

 pleted nest had been located. On the two folloMing days both 

 birds were busy at the nest. Bad weather set in and the 

 nest was deserted and no birds have been seen there since, 

 though in a neighbouring belt of pines a male bird was in full 

 song indicating the presence of a nest at no great distance. 

 On March 10th a nest was found in a Scotch pine twelve 

 feet from the ground, from which a brood of young f^.ew on 

 the tree being climbed. One of these Avas secured after flying 

 thirty yards, and Avas kept in confinement, but died in a feAv 

 hours and Avas sent by me to Mr. Witherby. Three other 

 pairs of birds AAere seen on this date. On March 16th I visited 

 the locality and found a nest Avith eggs Avhich had been 

 destroyed, a second nest from Avhich birds had quite recently 

 floAvn, and a third in a similar condition. The folloAving day 

 I did not see or hear a single bird, and there Avas practically 

 no very recent Avork on the fcAV cones that there Avere. 



