162 BRITISH BIRDS. 



others to learn that so far as my experience goes of this bird 

 in Wiltshire, the average date when eggs have been found 

 is June 6th. These are my records for the past seven years : — 

 June 2nd, June 5th, June 13th, June 5th, June 5th. I might 

 mention that this is a very local breeding species in Wiltshire, 

 and I am only aware of one locality where it may be found 

 nesting. This particular place I should think contains about 

 five or six pairs. 



The fact that one of the nests, discovered on June 5th of 

 this year, was patronised by a Cuckoo is, I think, worthy of 

 notice, inasmuch as the Redpoll is so rarely selected as a 

 foster-parent. The nest contained the Cuckoo's egg and four 

 of the Lesser Redpoll. 



D. W. Mussel- White. 



LATE NEST OF CROSSBILL IN IRELAND. 



I was greatly surprised when I received a note from a keeper 

 in co. Wicklow on June 8th, 1909, stating that he had " a 

 Crossbill's nest " (Loxia curvirostra) . On June 9th I climbed 

 to the nest, which was about forty feet up a larch tree on the 

 main stem, which had turned over at the top of the tree. The 

 nest contained four eggs, three well incubated and one un- 

 fertile. I have never heard of so late a nest. I have many 

 keepers on the watch for Crossbills, but had no report of any 

 having been seen since October, 1908. The pair above referred 

 to only arrived in the wood, in which they bred, about 

 May 20th. 



R. Hamilton-Hunter. 



[The late John Hancock (Cat. of Birds of Northumberland 

 and Durham, p. 49) mentions a nest with young at Hesleyside, 

 on July 14th, 1838.— F. C. R. J.] 



THE IRRUPTION OF CROSSBILLS. 

 We have received the following further details of the irrup- 

 tion of Crossbills. In our next issue we hope to give a map 

 showing occurrences so far as recorded. 



Yorkshire. — On or about June 28th a flock of Crossbills 

 alighted on a ship at sea off Scarborough, eight of them 

 being caught. The vessel went into port on the Firth of 

 Forth, where the birds were seen and identified by Mr. 

 E. H. Steavenson, whose father told me of the fact 

 (H. E. Forrest). One in adult plumage seen on the 

 Yorkshire coast, September 12th, and another, also adult, 

 on September 23rd (H. F. Witherby). 



