126 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



the winter of 1849, a small party were seen in a clump 

 of Scotch firs at Edwinstowe, and were all shot by Mr. 

 H. Wells on the 4tb March. Within a month from 

 that date four of the American White- winged Crossbills 

 (L. leucopterus) were shot in the same trees. The 

 latter is a rarer visitor to this country than the 

 former, and though a native of North America, being 

 found in all the extensive forests of that continent, it 

 yet appears to be sparsely distributed in Sweden and 

 Norway, and it was doubtless from these countries that 

 our visitors came, and not from America. Both species 

 were busily engaged in feeding on the fir-cones. 



The Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) frequents the old 

 oaks in the forest by thousands and tens of thousands. 

 Every tree during the summer has its several pairs of 

 birds, who build their nests in the holes and decayed 

 cavities in company with the jackdaws. In the autumn 

 they collect together in immense flocks, and leave the 

 district for the winter, resorting to the reed and osier 

 beds on the Trent. Their return to us is very gradual, 

 a few pairs being seen in some years as early as the 

 middle of January, in others not until some weeks later. 



Pairing has already taken place in those who. reach 

 us the earliest, and their peculiar guttural breeding-call 

 I have heard at the beginning of February. Every 

 week adds to the number until we receive our full com- 

 plement, and the woods resound with their prolonged 

 plaintive whistle, alternating with an oft-repeated 

 gurgling note. 



The starling is not only subject to local migrations, 

 but I believe large flocks leave us for the continent in 

 the autumn, and return in the spring ; indeed, the fact 

 that on one occasion seventeen dozen were picked up 



