FRINGILLIDAE—CROSSBILL. 123
and the end of winter, though it has bred in Essex on more than one
occasion. In some years it appears in
considerable abundance. Thus, in 1835-
36, it was abundant round Saffron Wal-
den, and in 1838-39 it abounded at
Epping, but only limited numbers have
been since observed. It certainly
bred at Epping at the time named, if not
at Saffron Walden, but Doubleday's re-
cord, though noticed by More (33. 131),
Harting (38. 29), and Newman (Montagu's
Dictionary, p. 37), has been overlooked
by Yarrell, Seebohm and other writers. Of
late years, the bird has been singularly
rare, though a few have been observed
from time to time. Yarrell's account of this species (14. ii. 15) was
largely compiled from information supplied by Messrs. Clarke and
Doubleday, and his figure was drawn from specimens shot at Saffron
Walden by Mr. Clarke and still in his possession there, where he has
often shown them to me. Doubleday also lent Yarrell about a
dozen specimens for the same purpose (14. ii. 26).
Mr. Hoy, writing at Stoke Nayland, which, though actually in Suffolk,
adjoins Essex, says (18. i. 117) :
"The Common Crossbill was rather numerous in some localities in this dis-
trict during the last year [1836]. I first observed them about the 20th of July,
1835, and in the month of August we had a large flock in some fir-plantations in
this neighbourhood.* * * They remained with us through the autumn and winter
months. I did not observe any after March, but in the beginning of the month
of June following a flock of fifteen or twenty were noticed in the same planta-
tions."
Mr. Joseph Clarke writes (18. i. 164) :
" During the latter end of the month of June, 1835, a flight of these singular
birds was observed in and about the plantations at Saffron Walden and the ad-
joining villages, several of which were procured during that and the following
months in their different stages of plumage."
After a discourse upon the varying colours of their plumage Mr. Clarke con-
tinues :
" The mandibles of these birds are indiscriminately crossed, though in by far
the greater proportion of those that came into my hands the upper crossed the
lower one to the right. Only three out of twenty-seven that I examined were
crossed to the left. These busy strangers with their incessant twittering were
continually seen flying from tree to tree, curiously examining every fir apple and
with one of their strong feet grasping the twig and the other the fruit of the fir,
sometimes in a horizontal, sometimes in a vertical position, turning up and down
with as much facility as if on a pivot, swaying their bodies to and fro in almost
every possible attitude, breaking with their strong crossed and admirably adapted
bills the scaly case and extracting the seed from every cone. * » « They seemed
totally unused to the busy haunts of men, and had not yet learned to fear the
approach of an enemy. So tame were they, as to be but little alarmed at the re-