50 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 



passing through an orange-yellow stage), were shot 

 at Newby Cross, December, 1865, by Mr. J. Barnes 

 [J. B. Hodgkinson in lit.) 



L. Curvirostra. Crossbill. 



The Crossbill is resident, but very local in north 

 and east Cumberland, the number of residents being 

 irregularly swelled by occasional flights which appear 

 to arrive in autumn from Scotland or Scandinavia. 

 In the lake district it is less frequently met with. 



The diary of the late Mr. Proud supplies a 

 concise description of the advent and subsequent 

 residence of a large drove of Crossbills. In August, 

 1838, several big flocks appeared in the neighbour- 

 hood of Brampton, where only a single straggler 

 had been shot during fourteen previous years. In 

 March, 1839, Mr. Proud recorded that the Cross- 

 bills were still present in large parties. In April, 

 their presence is again noted. In August, 1839, 

 our chronicler observes that there were many Cross- 

 bills in the neighbourhood all the summer through, 

 " so that they must have bred in abundance" ; and 

 though his search for nests was unsuccessful, he 

 shot a bird in the striated nest dress, which we 

 have examined in his collection. 



A similar incursion of Crossbills occurred in the 

 Penrith district in 1855, both young birds and eggs 

 being obtained, as Mr. Hope informs us, on Penrith 

 Beacon, and many pairs of adults "remaining to 

 breed in the neighbourhood for several years." It 

 was upon this information communicated to him, 

 as to us, by Mr. T. Hope, that Mr. A. G. More 



