76 



recorded as breeding not uncommonly in many localities, more especially 

 in the older forests, and many instances are on record of its nesting in 

 the southern counties down to the Solway district and the Cheviots. The 

 breeding limits of this race and the weak billed English form are however 

 imperfectly known, L. c. scotica is a winter visitor to England and L. c. 

 atiglica occurs in Scotland. 

 Nest. Generally built in a Scotch fir or spruce, occasionally in a larch. It 



is often placed among the topmost twigs of a high tree, at other times 

 near the end of a horizontal bough, but generally toberably high up. Few 

 nests are less than 25 ft. from the ground and many are much higher 

 but it is stated that they have occasionally been found as low as 5 ft. In 

 larches the nest are easily seen early in the year, but in evergreen conifers 

 they are often very hard to find, and can only be detected by hearing the 

 low chirruping of the sitting hen while being fed on the nest by the cock. 

 The foundation of the nest consists of a loosely built platform of dead 

 twigs of the larch or fir, while the interior is composed of dry grasses, 

 lichens, etc., lined with wool, moss, finer grasses, and a few of the green 

 spikes of the Scotch fir. Other materials occasionally used are deer hair 

 and a few feathers. External diameter of upper nest 5 in., of cup 24- to 

 2 1 in., depth of cup 1^ in. Although the Crossbill can hardly be said to 

 breed in colonies, it is usual to find several nests within a short distance 

 of one another. 

 Eggs. The usual number varies from 3 to 4, but 5 are occasionally found, 



and Harvie-Brown has seen a nest containing the extraordinary number of 

 7 eggs! {V. F. of Moray Basin, I, p. 296). In appearance they somewhat 

 resemble those of the Greenfinch, but the markings are often much darker 

 in colour, and as a rule fewer. The ground colour is generally greenish 

 white, occasionally warmer in tone, and the markings consist of a few 

 bold spots, streaks or scrawls of dark purple red, sometimes almost black, 

 chiefly at the large end. In a few cases they are altogether wanting, while 

 in others only the faint underlying blotches, smears and spots of pale 

 reddish brown are met with. 



Breeding lu Scotland fresh eggs may be obtained from February to April, 



Season. -wJ^ile a second brood is sometimes reared in June, but perhaps the first 

 week or so in March is about the best time. The hen sits very closely, 

 and has been known to allow herself to be taken on the nest. 



Measure- Average of 100 Scotch eggs (71 by the writer and 29 by F. Nor- 



ments. g^tc) 21.24 X 15.91 mm., Max. 24 X 15.5 and 21.6 X 17.3 mm., Min. 



18.6 X 15.6 and 20.6 X 14.6 mm. As well be noticed there is considerable 



variation in size among the above eggs, of which 96 were taken in 



Ross-shire. 



