SUSSEX CROSSBILLS 39 



loose, platform-like foundation of small fir twigs, 

 mainly dead ones, with a few flakes of wool adhering 

 to them ; then, on top of this came the nest 

 proper, which was composed of a little dried grass 

 and many thin strips of Scots fir bark, lined 

 sparingly with tufts of wool, a few Ring-Dove's 

 feathers, and a twist or tw r o of string. This is the 

 only nest I have seen containing many bark-strips. 



Reverting to April 9th, not 150 yards from 

 this nest, Mr. Smythe found a second about four- 

 teen feet from the ground, and right at the end of 

 a dependent bough of a Scots fir one of a small 

 cluster decking the roadside. This nest did not 

 look wholesome, however, the lining all being 

 fluffed up and untidy generally ; and, as a fact, it 

 never matured. It had far fewer twigs than No. 1, 

 and was largely made of dried grass with here 

 and there a dead leaf and a few chicken's feathers, 

 finished off with tufts of red and white horsehair 

 and a piece or two of thin cord. 



Half a mile on, perhaps, as we approached 

 another wayside clump of firs, we heard amidst a 

 babel of angry bird cries (seemingly some maraud- 

 ing bird or beast was being severely rated, though 

 we saw nothing of him), the voices of two 

 clearly excited Crossbills. After we had located 

 them, both flew across a field, and alighted on 

 the summit of a tall larch, finally flying off to a 

 big wood. Mr. Smythe again was the one to dis- 

 cover their home, again in a roadside fir (Crossbills 



