202 BIEDS OP NORFOLK. 



instance where the word " sparrouse " occurs — namely, 

 "Itm xij sparronse of gyste" (articles given in lieu of 

 rent), no doubt Passer domesticus was really intended, 

 inasmuch as at that time, and in that sterile portion 

 of the county, it would probably be considered a rarity 

 as well as a delicacy for the rich man's table. The 

 fact also that spowes in the L'Estrange '' Accounts " 

 are nearly always mentioned in connection with other 

 shore-birds, such as knots, ring-dotterel, redshanks, 

 &c.,* all easily procurable then, as now, from Hun- 

 stanton beach, seems to confirm the impression that 

 some grallatorial species was thus designated ; and 

 that this was no other than the whimbrelf is, I think, 

 sufficiently evident from the fact that in Iceland, 



printed in a collection of " Tracts on Manners and Meals in Olden 

 Times," and edited for the English Text Society by Mr. Furnivall. 



" Curlew, brew, snytes, quayles, sparowes, and martenetts 

 rost " are mentioned as part of the third course in the directions 

 for " a dynere of flesche ;" and in the " Boke of Keruynge," printed 

 by Wynkyn de Worde, in 1413, under the head of " serving of 

 flesshe," the same classification of birds occurs, " curlewe, brewe, 

 snytes, quayle, sparowes, and martynet." To this "Alpha" has 

 also appended a note by Mr. Furnivall, in which that author 

 suggests that "brewe" as mentioned three times in Russell's 

 "Boke of Nurture," is no other than the whimbrel, adding, "I 

 have a recollection (or what seems like it) of having seen the name 

 with a French form like whimfcreaw." 



* " Itm iij spowes of gist." 



" Itm to Mr. Vicar of Thornhm svnt in rewarde for bryngyng 

 of iij plovs, iij spowes, and a red shancke." 



" Itm pd to ye fowler at Corbetts for iij duss and di [dozen and 

 a-half] of stynts, v spowes, iij whyte plovs, and ij redshanks, and 

 ij sedotterells." 



" Item ii spowys of gyste." 



f In Messrs. Gurney and Fisher's List ("Zoologist," 1846) the 

 Bame opinion with respect to the whimbrel is thus given, "We 

 have reason to believe that it is this species which is occasionally 

 mentioned in the 'Accounts' of the L'Estrange's of Hunstanton." 



