50 BRITISH BIRDS. 



to a pair which had young fledged between April 22nd to 

 25th, though I should imagine that they had had an inter- 

 mediate attempt destroyed, as the interval was curious. And 

 the same day I found another nest — clearly the work of a 

 pair which had young on April 15th, seeing that it was not 

 twenty yards distant from the old structure. This held four 

 young, not more than three days old. 



I now believe that the nests found with young during April 

 were genuine second broods, not only because the Crossbill is 

 well-kno\\'n to breed in February and March — even far up 

 north — but also because a close search revealed, in three cases, 

 obvious Crossbills' nests from which young had just as 

 obviously flown ; and these were close to the tenanted April 

 nests. A friend of mine, to whom I gave some young Cross- 

 bills, has kindly kept the record of when their beaks crossed. 

 These birds were approximately fledged on April 15th, i.e., 

 thirteen or fourteen days old. Granting this, another fifteen 

 days elapsed (it was April 30th) before the bills began to turn, 

 and the cross was complete by May 7th. In three of them the 

 upper mandible crosses to the right ; in the fourth to the left. 

 One of them — a male, of course — has already begun to sing 

 (latter half of May). John Walpole-Bond. 



[We do not know to what authors Mr. Walpole-Bond alludes 

 in his statement that " all the books tell you that this species 

 is single-brooded." Newton in Yarrell (Ed. IV., Vol. II., 

 p. 197) says : " Second broods are apparently not uncommonly 

 produced, or, if not, certain individuals must delay their 

 breeding-season for some months." Jourdain {Eggs of 

 European Birds, p. 76) writing of the Scotch form says, 

 "A second brood is sometimes reared in June," and of 

 English birds adds, " Second broods have been recorded from 

 various parts of England i7i June and July." Dresser {Eggs 

 of Birds of Europe, p. 358) says, " I am uncertain whether two 

 broods are raised in the year, but it appears probable that 

 this is the case." Seebohm {Brit. Birds, 1884, Vol. II., p. 32) 

 thinks these late nests are not second broods but are the 

 result of first nests having been destroyed. 



Other authors we have consulted do not commit themselves 

 to a definite statement. As is well-known, the Crossbill has 

 been observed to breed in almost every month of the year, 

 and this fact must be taken into consideration in any observa- 

 tion of ajDparent second broods. We do not consider 

 Mr. Walpole-Bond's evidence is satisfactory. Even if new 

 nests found near others from which young had been reared 

 were regarded as sufficient evidence, the time which elapsed 



