132 



6 



frosts, and repassing in March ; and I may further state that the only months when I have not 

 observed them are May and June." To Holland it also comes at irregular periods, sometimes 

 appearing in the winter, and at others in the summer season ; and in France it appears in the 

 same manner, usually in large flocks, in the northern and central departments ; but, according 

 to Degland and Gerbe, it breeds in the High Pyrenees and in the French Alps, and is sedentary 

 in those localities. Lord Lilford, Mr. Howard Saunders, and Major Irby all record this species 

 from Spain ; the last-named gentleman never personally observed it, but states that it has been 

 once procured near Seville; and Lord Lilford writes as follows: — "I was shown a Crossbill 

 (Loxia curvirostra) alive in a cage in the village — the story about this species here being that 

 Carlos III. kept a great many of these birds in an aviary at Rio Frio, a shooting-lodge at a few 

 miles' distance, of which several pairs escaped, and established themselves in the pinar, where 

 they are now common." Mr. Saunders further writes that " on the mainland the Crossbill seems 

 principally confined to the forests of Segura, but in Majorca it is tolerably abundant. I have 

 carefully compared specimens from that island with a large series from all parts of Europe, and 

 cannot find any difference either in shape of bill or length of wing to justify Von Homey er in 

 considering the Balearic bird a permanent variety ; on the contrary, the bill is not larger than 

 that of average specimens, nor is the grey colour, upon which he lays stress, a constant charac- 

 teristic." We have examined Mr. Saunders's birds, and fully agree with his views as to the 

 species found on the Balearic Isles being the true L. curvirostra. In Portugal the common 

 Crossbill was found numerously by the Rev. A. C. Smith ; and passing eastward again through 

 Spain and Southern France (in which latter country we may mention that, though generally only 

 an occasional visitant, it appeared in large flocks in 1837, 1838, and 1855) into Switzerland we 

 find that, according to Bailly, it is in that country and Savoy common in some localities during 

 the breeding-season. Sometimes during the migrations, particularly from the middle of the 

 summer to the autumn, it is extraordinarily numerous. Many passed in 1836 and 1837 ; the 

 oldest bird-catchers assured him that never were such remarkable migrations as in July, August, 

 and September 1822, 1825, and 1826. On consulting the works of contemporary ornithologists 

 it appears that these migrations extended from the centre to the south of Europe. They are 

 owing to accidental causes ; and it is certain that a scarcity of seeds and berries on which this 

 bird feeds causes it to leave its favourite localities, and search for food in other localities. It 

 nests in preference in the conifei - -forests in our mountains, rarely in those that grow on the 

 hillocks. It breeds at Nivolet, Margeriaz, Montmayeur, and Saint Hugon, Chamounix, and 

 Tarantaise, particularly at Allues, Fesson-sur-Salins, Hautecourt, and Notre Dame-du-Pre — also 

 in the Haute Savoie, Maurienne, and on the southern slope of the Mont Cenis, especially in the 

 vicinity of La Ferriere, Bard, and Mollaret. Salvadori says that this species visits Italy, Sicily, 

 and Sardinia in the same irregular manner as it does most southern countries, although there 

 is even some suspicion of its having bred in Modena; naturally its visits become rarer in the 

 south. Mr. A. B. Brooke saw a pair in the Museum at Cagliari, said to have been killed in 

 Sardinia ; and Malherbe states that it has occurred several times near Palermo ; and after a 

 heavy storm in July 1838 large numbers appeared on the shore of Messina, and allowed 

 themselves to be taken without trying to escape. To Malta, Mr. Wright says it is " only an 

 accidental visitor. It has generally been seen in September or October. I have a male which 



