rey 
Addvess to the Lincolnshive Naturalists’ Union. 175 
Speaking of Museums, we have to congratulate the Curator 
of the Lincoln Museum on the admirable manner in which the 
collections are displayed and restricted so well to the proper and 
legitimate functions of a strictly County Museum; and I may 
emphasize once more that it should be regarded as the place to 
which, as a rule, all Lincolnshire antiquities and natural history 
collections should gravitate. We do not in the least overlook 
the claims which other museums in the county have upon their 
respective neighbourhoods, but as the Lincoln Museum is 
strictly a public one, it is not liable to the vicissitudes and the 
uncertainties entailed by more private ownership. I therefore 
hope that all patriotic Lincolnshire people who have it in their 
power will see that their County Museum is adequately 
supported. 
I have now, in conclusion, to thank you very much for the 
honour of permitting me to preside over you for the past year, 
and to wish the Union every prosperity for the future. 
The 1909 Irruption of the Crossbill as observed in Lincolnshire. 
As regards this great immigration of the Crossbill from N. 
Europe into the British Isles, the following is a short summary 
of all the published reports I have been able to find relating to 
Lincolnshire. The species was doubtless noticed in many 
districts and unrecorded, and also escaped notice in many others. 
The birds seem to have remained in the County for a whole year 
(July 1909—July 1910) and a few pairs almost certainly 
nested :— 
Six were taken at the Outer Dowsing Lightship, July 1909. 
More than 20 noticed at Louth, 14 and 15 July 1gog. 
Six observed at Bourne, 25 November 1gog. 
Large parties inhabited the Fir Woods at Hartsholme, near 
Lincoln, from January to June igo, and I myself many times 
saw them there in flocks of 20 or 30 birds, chiefly during the 
month of April. A few pairs most probably nested during April 
and May in the woods, as a bird was seen carrying nesting 
materials into the fir trees and pairs were also observed apart 
from the flocks, the males being in song. The flocks departed 
during June or early July for N. Europe. One bird was picked 
up dead at Donna Nook, on the coast, 9 July 1g1o. 
A specimen was obtained from Hartsholme for the Lincoln 
Museum. 
: F. L. BLATHWAYT, 
Doddington Rectory. 
