76 BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



locality where the species had occurred. Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney, jun. {ZooL, 1877, p. 242 sqq.) doubts the 

 locality of the first instance, and the identity of the 

 second, but I find no adequate reason for his conclu- 

 sions. Mr. Rylands, at present [1885] the member for 

 Burnley, has written me that " Hurlston " is the correct 

 spelling, and this appears to be in the neighbourhood 

 of Ormskirk. 



GENUS LOXIA. 



CROSSBILL. 



LoXIA CURVIROSTRA, LinnsBus. 



An autumn and winter visitor, occurring, usually in 

 flocks, at irregular intervals. Reasonable grounds exist 

 for supposing that it occasionally remains to breed, but 

 no specific evidence is available, and for the present the 

 point must remain unsettled. The Crossbill has been 

 seen and shot in most parts of the county between July 

 and March. Mr. W. Eagle Clarke writes me that on 

 August 2nd, 1883, one was seen in a garden near 

 Morecambe by Mr, John Grassham ; it was in greyish- 

 green plumage, and he took it to be a bird of the year ; 

 it was also very tame, permitting approach within a few 

 yards. 



