COMMON BITTERN. 171 



with on those broads, such as Surlingham and Rockland, 

 which lie parallel with the course of the Yare. In 

 the neighbourhood of Lynn they are in some seasons 

 extremely plentiful, and specimens have been shot at 

 times from the reed-beds on the Cley and Blakeney 

 marshes. Amongst other localities, also, where chance 

 stragglers have been met with, some of them at a 

 considerable distance from the coast, may be mentioned 

 Lakenham and Saxlingham near Norwich ; Attle- 

 borough, Merton, and Briston ; Gunton, Sherringham, 

 and Beeston, near Cromer ; and the Hempstead ponds, 

 near Holt. 



Of this number it will be seen by the subjoined 

 table the chief bulk have appeared in mid- winter during, 

 or immediately preceding, severe weather ; and of late 

 years, the winters of 1853-54, 1854-55, and 1859-60, 

 and still more recently of 1861-62, 1863-64, and 

 1866-67, have been remarkable for the number of these 

 migrants killed in different parts of the county. No less 

 than six were brought into Norwich for preservation, in 

 one week, in January, 1864. I find but two or three 

 autumnal stragglers recorded in my notes, all in the 

 month of October, and of those killed in February and 

 March, there can be little doubt that some, if undis- 

 turbed, would have remained to breed ; whilst the one 

 purchased in a perfectly fresh state in our market, on 

 the 3rd of April, may even have had a nest at the 

 time : — 



October 3 



November 8 



December 35 



January 36 



82 



82 



February 15 



March 10 



April 1 



Total 108 



The difference in size of certain specimens is very 

 marked, which, according to Montagu and other 

 authors, is a sexual distinction, the females being 

 z 2 



