6 FRTNGILLIDJl. 



hung in clusters on a clump of rowan-trees.* So intent 

 were they on satisfying their hunger, that they seemed not 

 to take the least heed of me ; and as I had not a gun, I was 

 content with gazing on them, without offering them any 

 molestation. They clung to the twigs in all sorts of posi- 

 tions, and went through the operation of feeding in a quiet 

 and business-like manner, each attending to his own affairs 

 without interfering with his neighbours. It was indeed a 

 pleasant sight to see how the little creatures fluttered 

 among the twigs, all in continued action, like so many bees 

 on a cluster of flowers in sunshine after rain. Their bril- 

 liant colours, so much more gaudy than those of our 

 common birds, seemed to convert the rude scenery around 

 into that of some far-distant land, where the Redbird 

 sports among the flowers of the magnolia. In that year, 

 flocks of these birds were observed in various parts of 

 Scotland." 



In the present autumn, 1855, Crossbills appear to be 

 again numerous : flocks have been seen in Aberdeenshire, 

 BanfFshire, Yorkshire ; and I hear of dozens obtained by 

 our London dealers in birds for sale. 



The visits of Crossbills to fir-trees, and their mode of 

 feeding on the seeds lodged between the scales and the 

 body of the cone, are thus described by R. F. Wright, 

 Esq., of Hinton Blewit, Old Down, Somersetshire, who 

 very kindly sent me the following communication: 



" Having for some time remarked the cones, under a 

 large fir-tree in the garden, lying in considerable numbers, 

 and mostly pecked, I could not account for the circum- 

 stance, until, passing near the tree one afternoon in the 

 beginning of August, 1838, my attention was attracted by 

 a shrill chirping, which I soon discovered proceeded from 

 a small flock of birds, about six in number, who were dis- 

 * The mountain ash Pyms aucuparia. 



