440 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 
slenderly-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 Hye, 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 Ist 
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- 
voort-Crommelin, who has published an excellent paper upon it 
(*« Archives Néerlandaises,” 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. 
