ROLLESBY GUU-ERV; 253 



places I remember to have seen them in, were, once in the interior of a Lam, 

 under a rafter in the roof; and another time in a hole in the ground in which 

 a pile or stake had been driven for hurdles, and afterwards taken away. 



TAe Water Eat, (Arvicola amphibia.) — I know an authentic instance of one 

 of those harmless little animals having been seen to catch and kill a large 

 frog by the side of a stream at Winterborne Zelstone, in this county, on 

 August 1st., 18 >4:. It is said not to be at all carnivorous, but I believe 

 the above to be correct. 



Dorchester J Septemher 12</j., 1854. 



ROLLESBY GULLERY. 



BY T. SOUTHWELL, ESQ. 



The Rev. Richard Lubbock, in his "Fauna of Norfolk," speaking of tho 

 Black-headed Gull, (^Larus ridibund as,) says, '^A small colony took possession 

 formerly of the margin of Rollesby Broad, but I do not know whether they 

 were suffered to remain unmolested." Early in June last, I made a bird- 

 nesting excursion to the "Broads," as the fine sheets of inland water laying 

 in the North-eastern part of Norfolk are provincially called; and there, for 

 the first time, had the exquisite pleasure of seeing a Gullery. 



INIy first inquiry, upon arriving at Rollesby, a village about eight miles 

 from Yarmouth, was, if the Gullery mentioned by Mr. Lubbock was still in 

 existence, and I was delighted to learn that it not only still existed, but 

 was rapidly on the increase; indeed, I need hardly have asked the question, 

 the number of these elegant birds which were gracefully skimming over the 

 Broad, or resting upon its surface, clearly indicating that their nesting-place 

 could not be far distant. Early next morning, I started on my visit to the 

 Gullery, and as I walked through fir plantations, skirting along the margin 

 of the waters, I learned the following particulars from the keeper. 



The Broad of which Rollesby forms part, consists of about four hundred 

 acres of water, bounded by low swampy land, and in some parts skirted with 

 fir plantations. Many years ago, they bred in one of the inlets of this 

 Broad in considerable numbers, bat were so disturbed, that they gradually 

 deserted the place. About five years ago, five or six pairs re-appeared at 

 the old breeding-place, and these, having been protected, and allowed undis- 

 turbed possession of the spot have rapidly increased in number, and now 

 form a very flourishing colony. The keeper had discontinued taking their eggs 

 for this season, and many of the birds had begun to sit. Arrived at the 

 margin of the Broad, I entered a flat-bottomed boat, and made my way 

 with difficulty amongst the patches of bulrushes and sedge. 



The scene was now most exciting; hundreds of these beautiful birds, at 

 other times so difficult of approach, were flying over our heads, and at times 

 dashing boldly past, within two feet of our faces, venting their anxiety in loud 



