82 BRITISH BIRDS. 



In Kent. 



On May 20tli, 1910, in company with Mr. C. Stedman, of 

 Ashford, Kent, I investigated a spot where we thought Cross- 

 bills might possibly be breeding. A narrow wood borders 

 a marsh beneath the North Downs, not far from Ashford, 

 and the wood is margined on either side with a belt of Scotch 

 pines. Cones, newly worked by Crossbills, were beneath 

 several trees, and soon we located five or six birds in one 

 tree, all busy working at the cones. In the tree next this 

 we found a typical Crossbill's nest, placed at the end of a 

 branch from fifteen to tAventy feet in length, and about 

 seven feet from ground-level, but overhanging a ditch with 

 banks four feet deep. There were no eggs, but the nest 

 appeared to be just finished. On May 22nd there were two 

 eggs. Mr. Stedman visited the nest on the 25th, as I was 

 unable to go, and reported that there were five eggs. 



H. R. TuTT. 

 In Norfolk. 



The Crossbills (reported antea, j). 22) still seem to be fanly 

 plentiful in the Castle Rising district. On June 19th I paid 

 a visit to the wood where the Crossbill's nest was found, and 

 had a chat with the keeper who found it. He told me that 

 about six weeks ago he saw a good many family parties of 

 young Crossbills in the wood, and on several occasions he 

 watched them being fed by the parent birds. So there 

 evidently must have been several other nests besides the one 

 I recorded. Wliile I was in the wood I heard some Crossbills. 

 Later on in the morning I met another keeper, and he told 

 me that they seemed to be forming into flocks again, and that 

 he had seen flocks of sixteen or seventeen for the last three 

 mo nings. Both of these keepers are most reliable men, and 

 are both quite familiar with the Crossbill — in fact, they were 

 the first to notice their presence at Castle Rising. The Cross- 

 bills have now been in this locality for quite a year. 



N. Tracy, 

 In Sussex. 



On April 24th, 1910, in the neighbourhood of East Grinstead 

 I discovered two young Crossbills about six or eight days 

 out of the nest, the call-note being very similar to that of 

 the adult. They appeared to be of a duU brown plumage, 

 the breast being streaked and spotted with a darker tint. 

 Although I remained some little time in the vicinity nothing 

 was to be seen of the parent birds. H. H. Farwig. 



