4<40 BIRDS OF NOEFOLK. 



slenderlj-formed bill, has become exceedingly rare on 

 our coast of late years, and even in former times appears 

 to have been a far more irregular visitant than the grey 

 phalarope, although occasionally met with both on its 

 autumnal and vernal migrations."^ Since the year 1850, 

 a period of just twenty years, the following are the 

 only instances of its occurrence that have come to my 

 notice : — 



1850. October 20th. One killed near Yarmouth. — 

 1851, October 24th. One in Mr. Dowell's collection, 

 shot at Blakeney; several more "little swimming 

 birds" were said to have been seen at the same time, but 

 whether of this or the grey species is not known. — 1853, 

 November 9th. A solitary female was shot by Mr. J. 

 Brownfield, of this city, in the act of skimming over the 

 river at Trowse Eye, near Norwich, as recorded in the 

 "Naturalist" for 1854 (p. 164).— 1854, November 4th. 

 Morris, on the authority of Mr. James Hunt, records 

 a specimen as killed at this date at Yarmouth, near 

 the mouth of the river. — 1859, September 23rd. One 

 at Hickling. — 1867, May 24th. A male in the collec- 

 tion of Mr. Overend, of Yarmouth, was killed near 

 Horsey Mere, as recorded in the "Field" on the 1st 

 of June (vol. xxix). — 1868, October 31st. A bird of 

 the year, in winter plumage was shot at Stalham, and 

 preserved for Mr. Silcock, of that place. An immature 

 specimen was also shot at Lakenheath Fen, Suffolk, 



remarks upon the lightness and transparency in the texture of the 

 feathers of this species, most apparent in the winter grey feathers 

 which, " when overlapping a summer feather, the summer feather 

 can be seen through it as through a mist." 



* It is somewhat singular that according to M. Van Wicke- 

 Toort-Crommehn, who has published an excellent paper upon it 

 (" Archives Neerlandaises," 1867 (pp. 76-83), this species has only 

 lately occurred in Holland (20th of September, 1866), though the 

 grey phalarope has been often obtained there. 



