212 BRITISH BIRDS. 



nest was placed, and to Mr. Heatley Noble, who very kindh^ 

 sent me the nestlmg, which was obtained in Norfolk on 

 January 12th, 1910.— H.F.W. 



In Kent. 



The following details of the nesting of Crossbills in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Maidstone. Kent, may be of interest. On 

 January 11th, 1910, a small flock, about ten birds, was 

 observed. On February 9th and 10th tliis flock was again 

 seen, but on the 14t]i it had increased in numbers, while 

 on the 18th we found about fifteen pairs and also saw small 

 flocks flying overhead. On February 28th we found a Cross- 

 bill's nest ready for eggs at the extreme top of a lofty Scotch 

 fir, close to a main road. On March 1st we found another 

 nest containing two fresh eggs in a similar position. The 

 nest of February 28th contained three eggs on March 7th, 

 and the bird was sitting very close. At this time small flocks 

 were flying about, from which one might have gathered that 

 the birds were not yet nesting. We noticed the cock bird 

 of tliis nest join these small flocks and then return to the 

 nest. On March 8th we found three more nests, all high up 

 on the lateral branches of Scotch fir, almost impossible to 

 get at. At this time birds were in pairs and in flocks. On 

 March 10th we discovered two more Crossbills' nests, one 

 witli three eggs and one with four eggs, one of these nests 

 being placed at the extreme top of a spruce tree. 



On March 16th we noted a new influx of birds in large 

 flocks, and on the same day found two more nests, at which 

 the birds were building very rapidly. These nests were 

 more conspicuous and lower down. 



We continued to find nests up to April 19th, when we had 

 counted nineteen nests in all for certain. The birds were 

 always to be seen around their nesting-places up to the end 

 of June ; during July they seemed gradually to disappear 

 from their usual haunts ; we noticed a small flock on 

 August 1st and a few birds on August 7th, but »ince that 

 date we have not seen them. 



The nests contained three or four eggs, three being the 

 rule, and, as far as one could judge, where there were three 

 eggs all three hatched, while where there were four usually 

 one or two were infertile. We very rarely saw the cock bird 

 building. We noted that they were very thirsty birds and 

 were drinking continually out of holes in trees where water 

 had collected. 



The nests always had a foundation of spruce fir and then 

 strips of the inner bark of Spanish chestnut or birch, but 



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