NOTES AND QUERIES. 483 
most vigorous manuer the possession of the ripest berrics with sorae smaller 
species of bird, which latter seemed quite capable and willing to offer battle 
to its more bulky antagonist. At first it was scarcely light enough to see 
what the smaller birds were, and the object of the Thrushes seemed to be 
to drive them from the neighbourhood, as they chased them from one tree 
to another, and by so doing they flew almost close to the window, when I 
saw they were Crossbills. I sat and watched them for some time, and 
eventually both Thrushes and Crossbills got their breakfast. ‘This con- 
tinued for several mornings, until the trees were stripped of their berries, 
and as long as the feast lasted both Thrushes and Crossbills were in 
evidence during the early hours of the day ; but a curious fact connected 
with it is that, although a few Thrushes occasionally made a stealthy visit — 
to the trees during the bright sunshine, I did not see a Crossbill anywhere 
in the neighbourhood at noontide, except one day when the cat belonging 
to the house brought in one, an immature bird in the yellow and red 
plumage; but it had been dead for some time. An elder tree, the fruit of 
which was also ripening, was a great attraction to a number of Starlings, 
but the right of appropriation of the berries was often a disputed point 
between them and the Thrushes. I did not see the Crossbills attempt to 
touch the berries, but I suppose it was only a natural sequence, as they 
prefer the seed-like kernels to the pulp, and is said sometimes to be 
destructive in orchards by splitting open the apples for the sake of the 
kernels. ‘This, however, I have never been able to verify from personal 
observation. Referring to the occurrence of Crossbills in the neighbourhood 
of Ringwood, I may say that I am not prepared to establish the fact of the 
species nesting, but I can positively assert that the species put in an 
appearance from various places, and all points of the compass, from January 
to the present time (Nov. 8th); and now I understand there are numbers 
of them in the locality ; but it must be borne in mind that their much-loved 
coniferous trees are comparatively common both east and west of the Avon 
valley. In the early part of the year I saw several, and heard of many 
others in and about the neighbourhood of the New Forest; I think they 
often frequent that locality in the winter, but in April they were still to be 
found there. During March numbers of them were observed at Parley, 
near Christchurch, and other places at no great distance, and in June one 
was sent me from Fordingbridge: it was in a putrid condition, having been 
picked up; at the same time I heard of others in Kast Dorset. In connec- 
tion with the occurrence of the species, I may relate an incident that 
occurred, I believe, in May or beginning of June, but I foolishly did not 
note the date. A labouring man asked me if the cock Greenfinch ever had 
any red about it, as he had seen a hen feeding two or three young ones on 
the branch of a fir tree not far from his house, and sometimes they were 
