NOTES AND QUERIES. 891 
Loxia rubrifasciata (Brehm) in Norfolk.—In October, 1871, I saw 
a male Crossbill which had been killed in Norfolk, with marks on its wings 
as in Mr. Williams’s bird (p. 266); and not long ago I saw another, marked 
in the same way, at Newcastle, which had been shot at Beaufront-on-the- 
Tyne, near Hexham.—J. H. Gurney, Jun. (Keswick Hall, Norwich). 
Crossbill breeding in Immature Plumage.— Your correspondent, 
Mr. Howse, has evidently “jumped to an inaccurate conclusion,” as to the 
views I hold regarding the moult of the Common Crossbill. I never 
suggested that the red dress, of what Professor Newton, Mr. Howard 
Saunders, and myself consider the mature male, must needs be obtained 
by passing through a yellow dress. I have no doubt that such is the case 
in some instances; but I could show Mr. Howse a nestling changing to 
red direct. How Mr. Howse can declare that his views coincide with 
Prof. Newton’s opinion, while he pronounces the mature dress to be yellow 
I cannot comprehend. Your readers are well able to judge for themselves 
whether I “tried to lure them from the statement at issue.” I suggested 
that anyone might examine the bird, and no man could do more.—H. A. 
MacpHersoy (Carlisle). 
Two Pied Wagtails laying in the same Nest.—I send you an account 
of what I take to be a rather remarkable instance of two birds laying in 
the same nest. Some time back a shepherd, whom I had employed in 
collecting eggs for me, brought me nine eggs of the Pied Wagtail, Motacilla 
lugubris, which he had taken from one nest. On examining the eggs 
closely, I found that four of them were of a distinctly different type to the 
other five, and it was evident that they must have been laid by two different 
birds. I told the shepherd my opinion, and he said that he had not 
watched the nest at all, so could not say whether there were two or more 
birds about, but that this was the second clutch “ t’ year,” as about a month 
before the birds had hatched off eleven young in the same nest that he had 
taken the eggs in question from. I should be glad to know if any of your 
readers have come across a similar instance.—A. M. Law (Thetford). 
Lesser Tern in Glamorganshire.—Mr. Cording, of Cardiff, received 
from the sands near Porthcawl, in August last, seven specimens of this 
Tern, two of which I have in my collection.— Diepy 8. W. Nicnonn 
( Cowbridge). 
Cirl Bunting breeding near Godalming.— On August 26th I was 
shown the nest of a pair of Cirl Buntings, Hmberiza cirlus, which contained 
three eggs, and on which the bird was sitting. The unusual lateness of 
the date is my chief inducement in sending you this notice. Another nest 
of the same bird, probably of the same pair, was shown me in May last— 
I cannot recall the exact day. It had eggs, which were hatched in due 
