BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 95 
January and February about 1893. Richard BeU of Castle 
O'er records in 1901 : " Three or four years ago " (^.e., 1896 
or 1897) " a small flock of these birds frequented the avenue 
for some time ; when the flock left, one pair stayed all 
summer, but no nest was found."* I hear that since 1900, 
Crossbills have been frequently seen at Newtonairds (Holy- 
wood), usually in the autumn ; and in 1908 in the early 
spring. 
Elsewhere throughout the county, small flocks are from 
time to time noticed, but in no case with anything Hke. 
regularity, except in the locaHties above dealt with ; yet the 
numerous stuffed specimens to be seen as ornaments in farm- 
houses and cottages, testify to the bird's variable distribution 
in one season and another. In the autumn of 1909 a very 
large " irruption " of Crossbills from the Continent was 
noted in many parts of the British Isles and was very fully 
recorded! ; but the only occurrence in Dumfriesshire in 
this year that I am aware of, is reported by Mr. John 
Corrie, who writes me that two Crossbills were observed 
feeding on the berries of a cotoneaster at Craigdarroch 
(Glencairn) on December 12th, 1909. 
Mr. H. F. Witherby has recently pointed outf that the 
true status of the Common or Continental Crossbill in England, 
Wales and Ireland, was revealed by an examination of the 
records of its nesting taken in conjunction with the records 
of its previous " irruptions " from the Continent. Mr. 
Witherby proceeds to demonstrate that the majority of the 
authentic nesting-records had immediately followed well- 
marked "irruptions," and that in parts of Ireland the 
Crossbill, although not indigenous, had settled down for 
many years as a resident after such invasions. An 
examination of the records of the Crossbill nesting in 
our county in the light of the above suggestion shows, 
* Trans. D. and G. Nat Hist. Soc, April 17th, 1901. 
t British Birds (Mag.), Vol. III. 
t Bull, B.O.C., Vol. XXV., pp. 77—79. 
