Two days among the Butterflies of Suffolk

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ON OUR

CROSSBILLS.

the meagre belts of pines afford insufficient food and suitable nestage. T h e eggs are greyish-white, spotted with ruddy brown, though pure white variations often occur and these sometimes bear cinereous markings. Four is the usual number in a complete clutch, five being of rare occurrence. Genuine ornithologists and more particularly commercial oologists are great menaces to Crossbills, owing to the large prices the latter can obtain for eggs. Collectors have been known to exterminate whole colonies, one of which I kept under Observation during February last in western S u f f o l k ; it suffered so extensively from their depredations that, if our sister Society of the Norfolk Naturalists had not taken action in prosecuting two wholesale pilferers, the entire assemblage would have been eventually exstirpated. Although the previous breeding season proved thus nearly futile, the Crossbills persist in returning to their former locality, a fact amply testified by the scarred cones. T h i s is a very plucky bird during the period of incubation, and considerable effort is necessary to displace her from the nest. I well remember receiving severe pecks upon the hand, while attempting to lift one of the hens from her eggs ; and, even when eventually ousted, she remained within a yard of her domain, immediately returning to the nest as I began to move out of reach. T h e male is of striking appearance, quite distinguished in his dark crimson breast and head coverings; younger males are blotched with orange and bear a yellow rump-patch. T h e female generally is greenish-yellow, more or less striped : similar striation is noticeable on the greenish grey young birds, though the pale wing-bar becomes inconspicuous when they are roosting. But a flock of Crossbills can be extremely varied in both size and plumage.

TWO DAYS AMONG THE BUTTERFLIES IN SUFFOLK. BY

D.

T.

BUTTON.

I left London July 21, and when riding from the Station to the ' Old House at Home ' I noticed a good number of Thecla W-Album on some thistles by the road side. There I had found them for several years previously : three years ago I took thirty specimens in a few minutes. T h i s time, however, my nets were as yet all packed up, so I did not disturb them. After spending a pleasant evening with old friends I arranged my nets and boxes ready for the morrow.


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Two days among the Butterflies of Suffolk by Suffolk Naturalists' Society - Issuu