16 FRTNGILLID.K. 



young birds, were seen in Diimfries-shirc in June 1833 or "34. 

 Mr. Heysliam says there were flocks of Crossbills about Car- 

 lisle in June 1837 ; and twenty were killed by one person in 

 Hampshire during the first week of August 1838. These 

 summer flocks are ascertained to be family parties, composed 

 of the parent birds and young ones of the year ; the old 

 birds are undergoing the usual moult, which commences al- 

 most immediately after incubation ; the young birds of the 

 year are in their nestling plumage, and do not complete their 

 first moult or change till October, and sometimes still later. 



The visits of this singular species to our shores happen at 

 irregular periods, sometimes with intervals of many years : 

 and some curious records of the appearance of large flocks in 

 1254 and in 1593 are still preserved. I have been favoured 

 by the Rev. L. B. Larking of Ryarsh Vicarage, near Maid- 

 stone, with a copy from an old MS. which refers to this sub- 

 ject in the following terms : — " That the yeere 1593 was a 

 greate and exceeding yeere of apples ; and there were greate 

 plenty of Strang birds, that shewed themselves at the time 

 the apples were full rype, who fedde uppon the kernells onely 

 of those apples, and haveinge a bill with one beake wrythinge 

 over the other, which would presently bore a greate hole in 

 the apple, and make way to the kernells ; they were of the 

 bignesse of a Bullfinch, the henne right like the henne of the 

 Bullfinch in coulour ; the cocke a very glorious bird, in a 

 manner al redde or yellowe on the brest, backe, and head. 

 The oldest man living never heard or reade of any such like 

 bird ; and the thinge most to bee noted was, that it seemed 

 they came out of some country not inhabited ; for that they 

 at the first would abide shooting at them, either with pellet, 

 bowe, or other engine, and not remove till they were stricken 

 downe ; moreover, they would abide the throweing at them, 

 in so much as diverse were stricken downe and killed with 

 often throweing at them with apples. They came when the 



