342 COMMON CROSSBILL. 



nally, and are so torn in search for the seeds as to 

 be easily perceived, and mark the progress of the 

 flock, while the ground beneath is strewed with 

 numbers which have been unable to withstand 

 their attacks on the branch. The larch was less 

 frequently here attacked, though in other dis- 

 tricts the seeds are much fed upon, and we never 

 saw any of the cones of the Scotch fir or pinaster 

 broken by them, but this may be accounted for 

 by a great prevalence of spruce in the places they 

 frequented, and by these trees last years (1838 

 and 1839) producing a most abundant crop of 

 cones. By using a little caution, one could easily 

 gain the foot of the tree where the birds were 

 feeding, and examine their motions, and if the 

 person remained quiet, they would feed and 

 climb about the branches until within a few 

 yards of the looker on. On one or two occasions 

 when shot at on the top of a tall tree, those un- 

 fturt would fly straight towards the person, and 

 Rlight within a few yards, looking about and 

 beginning to feed as if nothing had occurred. 



The nidification of the Crossbill in Britain is 

 comparatively little known. A few instances are 

 recorded of its nest having been found in Eng- 

 land, but so scattered as to warrant the conclusion 

 that the birds had been detained from their natural 

 haunts by some cause. In the south of Scotland, 

 the nest has not been lately found, but we have 

 little hesitation in believing that for the last years 

 they have bred in some numbers in different dis- 

 tricts, though the precise locality and their nests 



