82 BRITISH BIRDS. 



did she move as I focussed and took a photograph. I 

 also photographed her feeding the young, which operation 

 took place in the most matter-of-fact manner, whilst I 

 was only a few feet away. The camera was just placed 

 in front, and I stood by the side and waited for her to 

 arrive, which she did in a very short time, bringing a large, 

 green caterpillar. I noticed she made this do for three of 

 the young. I also watched her swallow the fceces of the young. 

 The cock bird did not once venture near the nest, but kept up 

 a constant note of alarm from a distance. I think anyone 

 who has tried to photograph the Tree-Pipit will agree with 

 me that the above facts are by no means usual. 



The second case was that of a Redshank {Totanus calidris) 

 whose nest was on the open marsh, and it was quite the 

 custom for the " lookers " to pick the bird off the nest, see 

 if the eggs were all right, and put her back, when she would 

 brood over them like an old hen. . This again is by no means 

 an easy bird to photograph, even when using a hiding-tent. 



The third case concerned a Robin {Erithacus ruhecula). 

 Whilst walking down a lane I met a small bo}^ and seeing 

 that he had a bird in his hand, I stopped him and asked 

 what it was. He said : " A Robin ; I picked it off the nest." 

 Finding the nest was only a short distance away. I told him 

 to take me to it. It was in a bank, and contained four newly- 

 hatched young. I pointed out the cruelty of taking away 

 the mother-bird, and said he was to let her go. This he did 

 angrily, by throwing her on the bank. NotAvithstanding all 

 this, the devoted Httle bird fluttered straight on to her young, 

 and brooded over them. The boy departed with some coppers 

 instead of the Robin, and it seemed a happy ending, but I 

 regret to say that the following day I found the nest pulled 

 out, and the young lying dead at the foot of the bank. 



H. W. Ford -Lindsay. 



Birds in Norfolk in 1910. — Mr. J. H. Gurney's annual 

 "Ornithological Report for Norfolk" for 1910 {Zool, 1911, 

 l^p. 161-75), although rather wanting in novelties, is none 

 the less a useful record of events. 



Four Spoonbills {Platalea leucorodia) arrived at Yarmouth 

 on May 8th, and one was seen at Breydon on the 15th, while 

 on the 27th a second appeared, and another on June 24th. 



On May 13th a Roller [Coracias garrulus) was seen at 

 Garboldisham. 



A female Crane {Grus communis), shot at Thornham, is 

 reported in August, but we have alreadv several times given 

 our opinion for suspecting Cranes to be " escapes." 



