304 



I .a-..peud an extract respecting the changes of plumage in the crossbill, 

 from the late lamented " Old Bushman's" work, "Ten years in Sweden," and 

 from his long experience and careful habits of observation, his remarks may 

 be relied upon. 



He says, " With regard to the changes of plumage in the crossbills, the 

 following statements are the results of several years observations. 



"The first dress, which is changed at the first autumnal moult, is 

 greenish-brown in both sexes, longitudinally streaked with darker brown, in 

 fact very like the nest plumage. After the first autumnal moult, the body 

 plumage is much the same, but all the under parts are tinged in the young 

 males with yellow-orange. In the females much brighter yellow. In the 

 young males, the heads and rumps are orange ; in the females only tinged with 

 yellow. The striped feathers of the young are very apparent on both all 

 through the winter and following spring. They breed in this dress, which 

 I fancy lasts them for one whole year. 



" I never saw the slightest indication that the plumage of the male would 

 become red until the next moult, and I think this does not take place till the 

 following autumn, and that then it will not be deep red, but orange yellow- 

 red, for we find this colour in the birds breeding in this dress in February and 

 March, although I believe a change in plumage may take place in May. It ia 

 clear that the bird does not become red at once, because these orange-red 

 breasts are not birds of the previous year, at least those which we find breeding 

 in March. I am of opinion that the full red dress is not assumed until the 

 third autumnal moult, and the males breed in two intermediate stages of 

 plumage before it is resumed ; because we find in the same forest, and at the 

 same time, the males breeding in all these three stages of plumage. In the 

 summer, the red dress of the male crossbill seems to become darker. 



"The nest is coarsely built of sticks, lined with moss and grass, and is 

 placed on the top of a small pine, very rarely on a fir, and never in the depth 

 of the forest, but always in a strong rise where the trees are small, and stand 

 wide apart. 



"The eggs, three, much resemble those of the green linnet, but are larger." 



Hoping these particulars will be of service for publication in the Trans- 

 actions of your Club, 



I beg to remain, yours faithfully, 



James W. Llotd. 



In a short discussion which followed, the Rev. G. H. Cornbwall said 

 that the fact of Crossbills visiting the county had been noticed before, but he 

 did not think any such proofs of their having bred here had ever been offered 

 before. The Rev. Mr. Crouch, of Pembridge, had three very fine specimens in 

 a glass case, which had been shot in his own garden La October. Mr. Crouch 

 would have sent them to this meeting but for the diflBculty of carriage. 



