202 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



was all gone, and the plumage exhibited dark spots on a lighter 

 ground, both on the upper and under surfaces. I replaced it in 

 the tree, from which it must subsequently have fallen, for a 

 nestling was found in the adjoining field on the 28th, and placed 

 in a cage near the nesting- tree, where the old Crossbills — which 

 had other young ones to feed in the trees there— continued to 

 feed it, often in the presence of observers, until the 11th of May. 

 In the meantime it became accustomed to feed on bruised hemp- 

 seed, and was then removed to my premises. It is almost full- 

 grown, and is tame to stupidity, continuing to feed within an inch 

 of one's face, and when taken in the hand it bites. 



The notes of the last pair of Crossbills when excited used 

 often to attract another pair — the male a red one — that frequented 

 the neighbouring trees, and which on such occasions would join 

 their neighbours in the excitement. On April 11th their nest 

 was discovered, by the birds being seen carrying building- 

 materials to it. They picked up bits of hay off the ground, not 

 heeding the observer standing near them. This nest is inter- 

 mediate in position between the other two, and is but fifteen 

 paces from the out-offices at the Giant's Eock, where a cow, a 

 pony, pigs and fowls are kept. It is over the pathway leading 

 from the house to these premises, and people and dogs are fre- 

 quently passing beneath it. It is near the end of one of the upper 

 branches of a Scotch fir, and can be easily seen from many 

 points. On April 1 3th Mr. Barrett Hamilton saw the Crossbills 

 fly to it with building-materials. On April 20th, the female 

 having commenced to hatch, Mr. Seebohm climbed up to this 

 nest, when both birds perched on this and the next tree, calling 

 excitedly, and he had a good view of them, the " gip, gip " of the 

 male being in this case also shriller than the note of the female. 

 The female soon returned to the nest, on which she could be seen 

 sitting. A hatching Crossbill was seen to raise itself and wriggle 

 frequently (Zool. 1889, p. 180). This was supposed by Mr. Nicond 

 (mis-spelt Ricond, Zool. 1889, p. 71) to have been done to shake 

 off falling snow ; but our Crossbills, which I have repeatedly seen 

 do this, bred long after the snow had disappeared. 



On April 25th I again visited this nest with Mr. Seebohm, 

 and found that it contained four eggs, which the female did not 

 leave until I was half-way up the tree, and on my ascending 

 soon crept back to the nest. She was of a brownish grey. I could 



