60 NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 



is divested of all its peculiar characters, and is then taken up, as it were, 

 into a higher degree of existence. This subject will be further explained 

 in the sequel. 



(To be continued.) 



NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 



BY O. R. TWINN, ESQ. 



The Cuckoo.— The Cuckoo appears a gregarious bird, for one morning I 

 was stirring early to enjoy a real sunrise in the country, when I was 

 struck by the many cries of that bird, almost simultaneously. I am certain 

 there were five, from the fact of my seeing so many take flight, when ? 

 disturbed them. They were all in an orchard of very humble dimensions. 

 I remember in 1853, frequently hearing three crying at one time in Earlham 

 Park. In 1854, I received a specimen of this bird, shot by a gentleman, 

 who said his grounds abounded with them, for they appeared to increase 

 the more they were fired at. 



Ferns. — In July I gathered on an old wall, in the town of Wymondham, 

 the Ruta-muraria; on Thuxton Church, A. trichomanes, which grew alone, 

 and on the south side most freely; and from Reymerstone Church the A. 

 trichomanes; many roots of Adiantum nigrum, dwarfed, and the Ruta-mu- 

 raria. Of this last Fern I never before saw such an abundance, nor so 

 fine. On the churchyard wall of Mattishall the Ruta-muraria flourished. 

 Doubtless in these retired, happy localities, no molestation had disturbed 

 their growth, except a very rare visit from some naturalist. 



The Marl-pit. — In the village of Marlingford is a large marl-pit, which 

 has not been worked for some time; it is excavated from a hill-side 

 abutting on fields, and is as large as any I have seen. One side of it 

 contains many layers of chalk, and is nude of all vegetation, except on its 

 very top; but it is pierced with hundreds of holes by Sand Martins, which 

 flew screaming round me very thickly as I was probing to discover the 

 depths of their nesting-places. I saw many shells lying about which the 

 birds had ejected, and this is no small task for them, as in some instances 

 the hole penetrated nearly two feet. Around the top of this pit I gathered 

 clusters of the Deadly Nightshade, with its inviting flowers. The number 

 of Spurge Laurels must have been near a hundred, of all sizes; some of 

 them I could prove to be upwards of sixteen years growth. There they 

 were in all their cool beauty, untouched by the villagers, who, no doubt, 

 knew they were dangerous to trifle with: in one or two gardens I saw 

 them growing transplanted. Here I enjoyed a feast of wild strawberries, 

 that trailed about a very mat of leaves, enlivened by the red fruit. The 

 Yellow Vetchling and the White Campion were also prizes. 



December Ath. } 1856. 



