It is an abrupt enough contrast to return from the
flaming flowers and active harvests of Madeira to a late spring in England, when the gardener scarcely-dare plant or sow, even if his frozen fingers permit. Yet in some points England is the more springlike. More birds sing. I found one Madeira garden inhabited by two pairs of grey wagtails, one of the handsomest and gayest of all our small birds ; but the English garden is much more populous and vocal, even under the handicap of scuds of belated snow and a north-easterly gale. Some of our birds are even nesting, and they include the crossbill. I hear of large colonies of nests in some fir belts, and some watchers have delighted in the extreme tameness of the bird. It is not tame in the sense that our garden robins or wagtails or town gulls are tame : it seeks no human companionship, but rather shuns it and frequents lonely clumps or woods. But few birds show less regard to visitors. Busy forcing open a fir cone with its strangely adapted beak, it pays little attention to anything else or to anybody. If you know where crossbills arc, you may make very sure of successful observation, if the trees are not over tall or thick. Afforesters, though they attract the bird, arc not very fond of it, but the damage it does may easily be exaggerated ; and we may hope that the too drastic condemnation of birds that dCitair leading simOtS will not be-extended from the. blackcock to the crossbill.
W. BEACH THOMAS.
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