80 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



levels. I have occasionally observed a score or two fly 

 past in small parties of threes and fours within a 

 quarter of an hour while I was watching them from the 

 shinde banks close at hand — one or two now and 

 then steadying themselves for a moment, and then 

 making a dash after a shrimp or small sea fish. 



Fifteen years make a difference in most things ; the 

 mudbanks and creeks are certainly gone, and I expect 

 the numerous parties of Kingfishers that frequented 

 them remain only in the memory of those that have 

 had the pleasure of watching them. 



The last time I visited the spot, some fine specimens 

 of Southdown mutton were grazing stolidly and com- 

 placently on the luxuriant turf that had formed where 

 previously hundreds of acres of mudbanks were covered 

 by every flowing tide. 



I see that this habit of coming down to the salt 

 water, and occasionally into the harbours, is common 

 all along the south coast during the autumn. 



In the Broad districts in the eastern counties the 

 birds are not nearly so common as might be expected. 



While Snipe shooting one winter round Hickling 

 Broad, in Norfolk, I noticed some small object splashing 

 in the water at the side of a dyke, and on proceeding 

 to the spot I discovered an unfortunate Kingfisher, that 

 had come to grief in a rather singular manner. The 

 bird had evidently at some former time been struck by 

 a shot, which had passed through the upper mandible. 

 This wound was quite healed up, but a small piece of 

 the horny substance of the beak had been splintered. 

 and into the crack produced by the fracture two or 

 three of the fine fibres which form part of the flowers or 

 seeds of the reed were so firmly fixed, that the bird was 



