~ 
PURPLE HERON. 147 
Rev. G. W. Steward, is stated to have been killed in 1831. 
From the Messrs. Paget we learn that two Yarmouth 
specimens were sent, one to Colonel Montagu,* and the 
other, by the Rev. George Lucas, to the British Museum. 
Amongst other notes very kindly supplied me by Mr. 
Joseph Clarke, of Saffron Walden, is a notice of two 
fine specimens of this heron in the possession (1831) 
of Mr. Stephen Miller, of Yarmouth, shot in that 
neighbourhood; and two were included in Mr. Miller’s 
sale catalogue in 1853, but I cannot ascertain by whom 
they were purchased. 
An immature bird in Mr. Spalding’s collection at 
Westleton, was purchased by him at Yarmouth between 
twenty and thirty years ago, and a magnificent pair, in 
full adult plumage, forming part of the late Mr. Lombe’s 
collection at Wymondham, were both shot (as Mrs. 
Clarke informs me) on Oulton broad, near Lowestoft, in 
the adjoining county, the male in June, 1833, and the 
female on the 10th of September of the same year. 
Of late years I know of but two specimens obtained 
in Norfolk, and both in immature plumage. Of these, 
the first was shot on Hoveton broad on the Ist of July, 
1862, by Lord Lilford, who, with a small party, was 
“flapper”? shooting at the time. On rising from a 
reed-bush it was at first mistaken for a bittern, but 
as it flew wounded round the broad, it was recognised 
by him, from its reddish tints, as a purple heron; and 
on cautiously approaching the spot where it was seen to 
alight, the bird was found nearly dead. On dissecting 
this specimen, now in the possession of the Rev. T. J. 
Blofeld, at Hoveton, I found the body, both outside 
and in, immensely fat, and in the stomach were the 
* Colonel Montagu’s collection now forms part of the British 
series, at the British Museum, which, according to Mr. G. R. 
Gray’s catalogue, contains two specimens killed in England. 
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