S6& BIEDS OP NORFOLK. 



occasionally met with in Norfolk, and like certain light 

 varieties of the common partridge seems confined pretty 

 nearly to particular localities ; but whether affected or 

 not by any peculiarity in the soil, or the nature of their 

 food, I am unable to say. They have been found in 

 different seasons in some coverts at Cranmer; and in 

 the autumn of 1861, I saw three fine examples killed, I 

 believe, in Mr. Hardcastle's preserves, at Hanworth, near 

 Cromer, one of which, even in its abnormal plumage, 

 showed a decided relationship to the ring-necked cross, 

 by the white mark on each side of the neck. A specimen 

 of this curious variety will be found in the museum 

 collection (No. 172.i). Pure white and pied birds are 

 by no means uncommon. 



In November, 1848, a hybrid between the pheasant and 

 black grouse was killed at Snettisham, in West Norfolk, 

 supposed to have been bred between a cock pheasant 

 and a grey hen ; and the three following instances of 

 hybridism between pheasants and domestic fowls have 

 come under my own observation during the last ten or 

 twelve years : — In December, 1854, a very singular 

 looking bird, apparently a cross between a pheasant 

 and Cochin China fowl, was shot in a wild state in the 

 woods at Wolterton ; and on the 31st of January, 1863, 

 an equally remarkable specimen was brought to a bird 

 preserver in this city (Mr. John Sayer) to be stuffed 

 for a gamekeeper, from whom I afterwards learnt the 

 subjoined particulars. It had been bred wild in a plan- 

 tation, at Methwold, as was supposed between a cock 

 pheasant and a domestic hen, the fowl being a cross also 

 between the game and Dorking breeds. This strange 

 bird, which proved to be a male, had been repeatedly seen 

 amongst the pheasants in the wood when the beaters 

 were driving the game towards the guns, but as it ran 

 with great swiftness, and never attempted to rise on 

 the wing, it always managed to escape, and was at last 



