nOTES 



LATE NESTING OF LINNETS IN SURREY. 



On August 6th, 191 6, I observed on Holmwood Common, 

 Surrey, a pair of Linnets {Cardnelis c. cannahina) carrying' 

 nesting material, M-hich would appear to be a very late date 

 for this species. H. H. Earwig. 



[Late breeding seems to be not uncommon with this species. 

 Mr. R. H. Read found two nests with eggs on Augi^st 2nd, 1897, 

 in Cambridgeshire and two nests with eggs and one with young 

 on August ist, 1898, in the same district {Zool., 1897, p. 430 ; 

 1898, p. 415). A nest with young is reported from Kilnsea, 

 Yorkshire, on September ist, 1886 {Birds of Yorks., I., p. 186) 

 and one with four eggs from Brighton on October 28th, 1887 

 {Zool., 1888, p. 105).— F.C.R.J.] 



CROSSBILL IN WESTMORLAND. 



The Crossbill {Loxia c. cwvirostra) is an irregular visitor to 

 Westmorland, and though probably more often present than is 

 supposed, there are only few definite records of its occurrence. 

 Macpherson in his Fauna of Lakeland gives a few records for 

 the county, and during the great irruption of 1909-10 two or 

 three reports were published in British Birds (Vol. III., pp. 

 227 and 333, and Vol. IV., p. 83). 



It may therefore be of interest to place on record that on 

 October 29th, 1919, a specimen in perfect red plumage was 

 picked up dead near Ambleside, and was brought to me in the 

 flesh the same day. I have had more than one unconfirmed 

 report of Crossbills having been seen during the last few 

 months, and it is possible that this bird may have been in the 

 neighbourhood for seme time. A. Astley. 



LARGE NUMBERS OF BRAMBLINGS IN 

 WORCESTERSHIRE. 



It would be of interest to know if this is going to be a " Bramb- 

 ling j-ear " generally. Hereabouts (Bewdley) there are no 

 large beech woods, only small and mixed plantations and 

 isolated trees. I have never pre\'iously in my sixteen years' 

 residence here known the Brambling {Fringilla montifvingilla) 

 otherwise than in small numbers mixed with other finches. 

 This vear it appears to be very general, and on November 7th 

 in Cliff Wood, Upper Arley, which is a part of the Wyre Forest. 



