NOTES. 51 



between the fledging of the first brood and the building of 

 the second nest seems to be in two cases at all events 

 inadequate. In the first case it appears to have been less than 

 a fortnight ; in the second case (in which no details are given as 

 to positions of the two nests) about four weeks, and in the 

 third case about a fortnight. Either we must presume that 

 the old birds continued to feed the young after the second 

 nest was built, for which there is no evidence, or else that 

 young Crossbills can look after themselves in a fortnight after 

 fledging, which we believe to be hardly possible. — Eds.] 



In Kent. 



Mr. W. Naunton Rushen records in the Field (May 28th, 

 1910, p. 949) that he had seen an adult pair of Crossbills on 

 Hayes Common repeatedly since March 26th, 1910, but he 

 could not discover that they were breeding. On May 20th, 

 however, he watched for some hours an undoubted family- 

 party of " about half-a-dozen " on Keston Common, quite 

 close to Hayes Common. 



IRRUPTION OF CROSSBILLS. 



On behalf of the Migration Committee of the British Ornitho- 

 logists' Club I am sending the following additional notes 

 on the irruption of the Crossbill into England. We have 

 received a number of these notes, but the majority have 

 already appeared in British Birds ; my Committee consider 

 it a pity that the records of the irruption should not be 

 made as full as possible in British Birds by the inclusion of 

 these, which might otherwise remain unpublished until our 

 next report is ready, Avliich cannot be for some months. 



Berkshire. — February 27tli, 1910, eight seen among tall 

 conifers at Bulmershe ; not apparently paired, but 

 occasionally uttering a love-note differing from the usual 

 call {H. M. Wallis). At least twenty of both sexes seen 

 during the week, April 3rd to 10th, near Ascot by D. W. 

 Callings, who reports that they did not appear to be 

 nesting. 



Hants. — A small flock seen at Buckholt, Dean, on July 14tli, 

 1909, and another small flock in a wood containing a good 

 many larch trees near the same place on November 9th 

 (R. G. Townsend). Three seen by H. L. Curtis on April 

 5th, and a single bird on the 13th by J. F. Butterworth, 

 near Bournemouth. 



