WINTER BIRDS OF PASSAGE 173 



at rest ; when it is open and in action, it serves as a power- 

 ful forceps for wrenching open the obliquely inserted scales 

 of a fir-cone, and extracting the seed at their base. Some- 

 times crossbills feed on haws and other hard seeds like 

 hawfinches or greenfinches. 



The arrival of hooded crows in winter is more regular 

 than that of the three birds last named, but is confined more 



HOODED CROW 



strictly to certain districts. Considering how common the 

 hooded crow is each winter in the eastern counties and 

 along a considerable stretch of the south coast, it is remark- 

 able that it is an almost unknown visitor to districts but a 

 few score miles distant. It seems to migrate on a very 

 definite plan which no new influence disturbs. It is scarce 

 in Surrey, though common along the coasts of Kent ; but in 

 autumn a few birds may be seen under the southern slopes 

 of the North Downs, apparently working their way along 

 from the gap of the Medway estuary ; and they reappear 



