SUSSEX CROSSBILLS 43 



largely composed of wool felted into living and dead 

 fir-twigs ; but in all three cases the main nest was 

 fashioned of moss and dried grasses, finished off 

 with a scant supply of wool, hair, and a few curly 

 feathers. Two of this trio I found simply by 

 searching, no birds having been observed at all ; 

 but as to the third, I received help by noticing 

 a pair of Crossbills frequenting for some time a 

 particular line of firs. 



It is said that, even in the Crossbill's customary 

 territory up north, flocks and parties of apparently 

 unmated, adult birds are prevalent all through the 

 spring and summer ; and certainly this assertion 

 is partially borne out by what I observed here in 

 Sussex. Taking as examples the 14th and 15th 

 of April, I saw on those two days alone quite 150 

 birds in gatherings of from fifteen to thirty, leading 

 their usual winter, gipsy existence. What were 

 these Crossbills doing P Did they intend to dis- 

 band later and nest then? I think not. In any 

 case one thing is certain : if they did, it was not in 

 Sussex ; or, were they birds that had bred very 

 early in the year January and February, since it 

 is well known that Crossbills do sometimes nest 

 thus early? If so, it must be presumed that on 

 occasions the young keep to themselves : certainly 

 there were no real immatures in the flocks I saw. 

 Surely they cannot have been all non-nesters? 

 and especially as in every company the sexes were 

 very evenly divided, most of the cocks, too, being 



