238 BIRDS OP NORFOLK. 



evinced by many large proprietors of land, and nowhere, 

 perhaps, more than in this county, must not be over- 

 looked ; while, in districts where the ownership is much 

 divided, the imposition of a gun licence has proved of 

 great utility in checking the indiscriminate shooting 

 which was before so baneful to many of our rarer birds. 



Owing to the operation of these causes this " greatest 

 ornament of the Norfolk Broads," as it was aptly styled 

 by Mr. Lubbock, has for some years experienced happier 

 times, and is once more fairly numerous on the broads 

 and inland waters throughout the county, having re- 

 appeared in some localities from which it had long been 

 driven. The loon habitually breeds on Tomston and 

 Stanford waters, but not, so far as I am aware, on 

 Scoulton mere, though at Hingham Sea Mere, within 

 a few miles of the latter, I have seen their nests ; and 

 on some of the Wretham meres they breed regularly. 

 On Heigham Sounds and Hickling Broad, at one time 

 favourite resorts of this species, but where at present 

 it is much harried, it is still found, but in reduced num- 

 bers. The same may be said of Horsey and Wroxham 

 Broads, in which latter fine piece of water I have known 

 it chased by a steam launch, but where the British 

 tourist is strictly excluded, as at Ranworth and Hoveton, 

 their numbers have largely increased of late years. The 

 keeper at Ranworth believes that eight pairs have 

 hatched off there this year, and that there are at least 

 twenty-five birds, old and young, at present on his water. 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., was fishing there on the 31st 

 July last (1889), and tells me that the young were then 

 as big as their parents, and made a constant whistling 

 sound like young ducks. At Hoveton, also, there have 

 been a good number of nests this year. 



The loons return to their homes early in March, 

 but are generally accompanied by a number of others 

 which pass on. to distant breeding places,"^ while those 

 that remain to nest appear, in most cases, to have 

 already paired, and lose no time in commencing theu' 



* On the 18tli March, 1881, Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., saw twelve 

 of these birds on Ranworth Broad, some in breeding plumage, 

 others still in winter dress. 



