64 
Bicknell noted these birds were present in the lower Hudson valley, and 
in April of the latter year found their nest. In the same article is no- 
ticed the occurrence of the species about New York City in late spring 
and early summer ; on Long Island in midsummer, and on the Bermudas 
from March to May. (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, Yol. V., pp. 7-11.) Mr. E. 
W. Nelson in his paper on “ Birds of Northeastern Illinois,” read before 
the Essex Institute, December 4, 1876, says it was “ formerly a common 
winter resident ; now rare.” Messrs. Dury and Freeman (Journ. Cin. Soc. 
Nat. Hist., 1879, p. 4), note its occurrence at Westwood, 0., in 1879. Dr. J. 
M. Wheaton (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, 1879, p. 62) gives the following ac- 
count of the occurrence of the species in Ohio : “ On the 18th of June 
last, Mr. Charles Hinman killed one of these birds out of a flock of eight 
or ten which visited the coniferous trees in his garden in this city (Col- 
umbus). The specimen, which came into my possession by the kindness 
of Mr. Oliver Davie, was a male, not in full plumage. I have since learned 
that the Bed Crossbill has remained during the season in the vicinity of 
Cleveland in considerable numbers, and is reported to have nested there.” 
In commenting on this note (Ohio Geol. Survey, Yol. IV., Zoology and 
Botany, p. 317), Dr. Wheaton says : “ I was unable to learn whether its 
nest had been actually discovered,” and adds : “ It has been known to 
nest in Indiana within a few years.” I regret very much that I have 
been unable to get any clue whatever to the authority upon which this 
statement is made. Prof. A. J. Cook in writing of the Birds of Michigan 
says of the American Crossbill : “ Occasional in summer. Dr. H. A. At- 
kins took nests of this species at Locke, July 13, 1880.” It had previously 
been reported as breeding in Minnesota. In J uly and August, 1880, they 
were noted at Bugby, Tenn. (The Oologist, Yol. V., pp. 78-9 ; Bull. Nutt. 
Orn. Club, Yol. VI., pp. 66-7.) Dr. C. Hart Merriam notes it as an “abund- 
ant resident” in the Adirondack region. He says it is “ rather scarce and 
irregular in summer, but the commonest bird in winter and early spring. 
Breeds in February and March while the snow is still four or five feet 
deep on the level and the temperature below zero (Fahr.). Have taken 
full fledged young in April.” (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, Vol. VI., p. 229.) 
Mr. C. W. Beckham (Birds of Nelson County, Kentucky ; Ky. Geol. Surv., 
p. 24), says : “A flock of six or eight of these birds appeared here on 
November 18, 1882 on some pine trees, the first time I had ever observed 
them. They remained only a day or two, and none were seen until the 
17th of March following, when I shot eight out of a flock of about twenty, 
in the same place where they had previously been seen. Several flocks 
were observed about the same time near Bloomfield and Glenville in this 
county, and excited considerable comment on account of their queer 
bills. The weather at the time was quite mild, so that their appearance 
here was probably due to some other cause.” 
The winter of 1882-3 they were unusually abundant in many localities 
between the great lakes and the Ohio river. Prof. B. W. Evermann first 
observed them at Bloomington, Indiana, February 10, 1893. This was the 
second record for the state. For some time after they were common in 
Monroe county. March 15, 1883, Mr. E. K. Quick reported having seen a 
single specimen near Brookville, Indiana. April 2, my attention was at- 
tracted to a peculiar crackling sound which came from among the pine trees 
in my yard at Brookville. Close investigation revealed the fact that the 
cause was a lot of Crossbills. They were shelling the seeds out of the pine 
cones and the breaking of the cone scales made the sound which attracted 
my attention. I observed others were upon the ground feeding upon the 
seeds of the fallen cones. April 3 I saw six more in my yard. April 4 
I saw one in a flock of Pine Finches. April 5 Mr. Quick noted one. Of 
those observed but one was in the red plnmage. Prof. B. W. Evermann 
saw a few at Delphi, Carroll County, Indiana, the middle of March, 1883. 
At the same place about twelve were seen December 26, 1884. Mr. J. W. 
Byrkit informs me that they were very abundant at Michigan City, Ind., 
in the winter of 1883-4. Miss IT. E. Colfax, in her report of the bird noted 
at the light house, at the same place, gives it January 16, 1884. In the 
winter of 1883-4 Prof. Evermann reported them very common in Monroe 
County, Ind. The Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. VIII., p. 68, contains an 
account by A. H. Helme of their breeding April 10, 1883, near Miller’s Point, 
L. I. Mr. Bobert Bidgway (The Auk. Vol. I., p. 292), notes the proba- 
ble breeding of the Bed Crossbill in central Maryland in May, 1884. Mr. F. 
C. Brown reported their breeding in Eastern Massachusetts in the summer 
of 1884 (The Auk., Vol. II., p. 105). In the winter of 1884-5 they were tol- 
erably common in Monroe county, Ind. (W. S. Blatchley, Hoosier Natu- 
ralist, 1886, p. 170). The late Mr. C. H. Bollman noted them “ quite com- 
mon,” in the same county through March, April and early May 1885. 
He saw them first March 2, and last observed them May 12. Mr. J. 
W. Byrkit informed me that he saw' the first Crossbills for the year March 
24, 1885. He adds : “ I am not quite positive but think the Crossbill 
breeds here (Michigan City), as they make their appearance about this 
