CHAPTER VII 



The Norfolk Broads 



Among all the counties of England, Norfolk easily comes 

 out first for its list of birds, and a very large percentage, 

 of rare occurrences are recorded by Norfolk naturalists. 



For this there are se^'eral reasons, — the chief, perhaps, being 

 its position, right in the track of migration, wliere so many 

 migrants from northern latitudes first strike our coast ; and 

 secondly, the large extent of marsh and water still remain- 

 ing in what is known as the Broad district, where wading 

 and water-birds, driven away from the rest of England by 

 drainage and cultivation of their former haunts, may still 

 find a congenial refuge. Here they linger in ever-dwindling 

 numbers, but they are vevy reluctant to be dri\'en away. 

 Again and again do they attempt to nest and establish them- 

 sehes more firmly — only to have their eggs taken, their 

 young broods destroyed, and themselves shot without mercy. 



The naturalist desirous of seeing some of these ^ anishing 

 species on English soil must hasten before it is too late. 

 Some have already ceased to nest even in the most secluded 

 spots in this unique and semi-aquatic district, and to read 

 the yearly Norfolk notes in the Zoologist is sad work. 



