COMMON CROSSBILL. 3 



August. Small flocks, including young birds, were seen 

 in Dumfriesshire in June, 1833 or 1834. Mr. Heysham 

 says there were flocks of Crossbills about Carlisle in June, 

 1 837 ; and twenty were killed by one person in Hampshire 

 during the first week of August, 1838. These summer 

 flocks are ascertained to be family parties, composed of the 

 parent birds and young ones of the year ; the old birds are 

 undergoing the usual moult, which commences almost im- 

 mediately after incubation ; the young birds of the year are 

 in their nestling plumage, and do not complete their first 

 moult, or change, till October, and sometimes still later. 



The visits of this singular species to our shores happen at 

 irregular periods, sometimes with intervals of many years ; 

 and some curious records of the appearance of large flocks 

 in 1254 and in 1593 are still preserved. I have been 

 favoured by the Rev. L. B. Larking of Ryarsh Vicarage, 

 near Maidstone, with a copy from an old MS., which 

 refers to this subject in the following terms : " That the 

 yeere 1593 was a greate and exceeding yeere of apples; 

 and there were greate plenty of strang birds, that shewed 

 themselves at the time the apples were full rype, who fedde 

 uppon the kernells onely of those apples, and haveinge a 

 bill \vith one beake wrythinge over the other, which would 

 presently bore a greate hole in the apple, and make way 

 to the kernells ; they were of the bignesse of a Bull- 

 finch, the henne right like the henne of the Bullfinch in 

 coulour; the cocke a very glorious bird, in a manner al 

 redde or yellowe on the brest, backe, and head. The 

 oldest man living never heard or reade of any such like 

 bird ; and the thinge most to bee noted was, that it seemed 

 they came out of some country not inhabited ; for that 

 they at the first would abide shooting at them, either with 

 pellet, bowe, or other engine, and not remove till they were 

 stricken downe ; moreover, they would abide the throweing 



