218 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



A. glacialis or long-tailed duck." On 6th January, 1866, 

 an adult female is recorded by Mr. Stevenson, as 

 having been taken at Salthouse ('^ Zoologist," 1866, p. 

 260) which, he adds, " confirms my opinion that these 

 birds occur at times in mild winters when least expected, 

 and are often altogether absent in the hardest weather." 

 November, 1887, was unusually productive of this species, 

 both in Norfolk and elsewhere, some occurring in this 

 county as far inland as Eockland Broad, near Norwich 

 ("Zoologist," 1888, p. 287) ; and the Kev. J. G. Tuck tells 

 me that in the winter of 1887-8 one of his correspondents 

 from Hunstanton, in answer to his enquiry, told him 

 the number brought home up to 15th February was 

 twenty-seven, and he intimated that he had lost quite 

 ten or twelve others, owing to wind and tide. He added, 

 " there is one fine old bird about the feeding- ground, 

 but up to the present he has not given me a good shot 

 at him." Shortly after, Mr. Tuck had a second letter 

 from the same correspondent (received on the 27th 

 March, 1888, and quoted in " Land and Water," March 

 31st, 1888), in which he gives the following additional 

 information : — " I was very sorry I could not get the old 

 male long- tail ; he is still about here, and, strange to say, 

 three others have joined him, quite as good specimens. 

 There is a large flock of them; since we have left off 

 shooting they keep all the time just opposite my house, 

 about four or five hundred yards out at sea. They are 

 there every day feeding . . . just in a line with the 

 bathing post. I should think there are quite 300 of 

 them. I can see these old males quite plainly with the 

 glasses. There are still thousands of scoters here." 

 Lastly, on the 10th December, 1888, Mr. Cole had a fine 

 adult male sent him from Wells for preservation. These 

 are only a few of the many examples which have been 

 recorded, anything like a complete list of which it 

 would be impossible to give. 



Although I have spoken of the occurrence of 

 adult long-tailed ducks in open weather as not by 

 any means so unusual as was formerly believed, 

 it must not be supposed that such occurrences 

 are the rule, the large majority of the full plumaged 

 birds having undoubtedly been met with in severe 



