CROSSBILL. 
213 
from the same nest, does not differ from the one figured. 
Fig. 3 is from Mr. John Hancock of Newcastle, well 
known to all those who admired his inimitable groups 
of birds in the late Crystal Palace. Mr. Hancock says, 
“ On the 8th of May, 1850, Mr. Charles St. John and I 
took three nests of the Crossbill in the pine woods on the 
banks of the Findhorn, the young of which had flown. 
This year, 1854, I received from Mr. St. John a nest con¬ 
taining four eggs, accompanied by the two parent birds, 
which was procured on the 10th of March, in Rosshire. 
I have, therefore, now had an opportunity of examining 
four nests, three of which I saw in their natural position: 
these were all built in Scotch firs; the three first men¬ 
tioned were placed on the lowest branch, about midway 
from the bole, they were all about ten feet from the 
ground ; another nest, however, which I saw at Gran- 
town, was built at so great a height that it could not 
be procured. The nests all agree in general appearance 
and structure. The following description is taken from 
the fresh nest with eggs :—“ The nest rests on the branch 
in the midst of foliage which almost entirely conceals it. 
It measures, outside diameter, upwards of five inches ; 
inside diameter, nearly three inches; depth of cavity, 
two inches and three eighths. The outside is formed 
of rather strong, dead twigs of the Scotch fir, loosely 
put together, next follows moss and wool, interwoven 
with rather long vegetable fibre. The inside lining is 
composed of delicate vegetable fibre." It is not easy 
to point out anything in either of these eggs to distin¬ 
guish them from those of the greenfinch, except that 
they are more pointed at the smaller end than the 
typical eggs of that species. Fig. 3, except in size, 
may be considered to illustrate as well eggs of the green¬ 
finch as it does those of the Crossbill. 
