NOTES. 83 



such as is sometimes known to occur in July, and if this 

 should prove to be the case, this note may be of some 

 assistance in tracing the origin of these migrants and the 

 route they have followed. N j\ Ticehurst. 



At the end of June or beginning of July there was an irrup- 

 tion of Crossbills into Shetland. The first I saw was on 

 July 2nd, but they had been seen some days previously. I 

 afterwards saw scattered individuals and small flocks in Fell 

 and Mainland, and I heard of them on all sides. There were 

 old birds of both sexes and many young, and all seemed in 

 great straits for food, many being in a starving condition. 



On reaching Hever, near Edenbridge, Kent, early on the 

 morning of July 15th, a flock flew over me, and I have seen 

 many since, and one flock of at least one hundred birds. My 

 woodman tells me to-day (July 20th) that he has seen many 

 for some time. E q b Meade-Waldo. 



[We also hear from Mr. W. S. Medlicott that he saw a flock 

 of about twenty Crossbills near Botley, Hampshire, on 

 July 4th, and Mr. Eric Lacey writes us from Crow Hill, near 

 Ringwood, Hants., that from sixteen to twenty arrived there 

 on July 4th, and Mr. C. J. Wilson tells us that they have been 

 numerous near Godalming in Surrey during July. In the 

 " Field " of July 10th, Mr. W. P. Green writes that about 

 a dozen were seen near Romsey, Hants., "last week." We 

 also learn from the "Scotsman" of July 12th, that a small flock 

 was seen on Sanday, Orkney, about July 5th, and a good many 

 were seen between that date and July 10th near Kirkwall, 

 while Mr. A. G. Gavin writes to the " Standard" of July 21st 

 that some were seen at Fraserburgh. It is a pity that dates 

 have not been recorded with sufficient exactness in some 

 cases. — Eds.] 



CURIOUS SITE FOR A STARLING'S NEST. 



A barrier of the safety range at Haileybury is made of 

 loose flint pebbles, encased in wood. A Starling (Slurnus 

 vulgaris) has found a crack in the wood casing at the top of 

 this barrier, and has entered by this and removed a number 

 of the flints, so as to make room for a nest. Curiously 

 enough the bird has flown several yards with many of the 

 stones, and has deposited them upon a ledge. The expenditure 

 of so much labour in providing a nesting site would seem to 

 indicate that the more usual breeding places of the Starling 

 were becoming exhausted. p ^y Headley. 



