382 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



appeared so simultaneously along the whole extent of our 

 eastern coast were members of one large flock, and, as 

 these evidently crossed and re-crossed the boundaries of 

 the two counties, when scattered into small parties by 

 constant alarms, it is better, I think, to adhere to my 

 original plan, and arrange my notes, of the various 

 individuals killed, according to the dates of their capture, 

 without reference to locality. 



May 23rd. — One female found dead on Yarmouth 

 beach. "The first intimation (writes Captain Longe) 

 of the Syrrhaptes paradoxus in this county was, as is 

 often the case, totally unheeded. On the 23rd of May, 

 Mr. Youell, the well-known nursery gardener, was 

 walking by the sea near the north battery, when he 

 saw a small bird washed up and down in the foam; 

 its beautiful markings attracted his attention and he 

 brought it home, but being very much knocked about 

 and slightly decomposed, he did not think it worth 

 keeping. One of his men, however, by name Hunt, 

 skinned it and preserved the skin, and it proved to be 

 a female. There were no signs of shot marks about 

 it, and I do not doubt it dropped in the sea from 

 exhaustion, and was washed ashore by the tide." It is 

 particularly worthy of note, that this bird was first seen 

 the day following the capture of the pair, recorded in 

 the " Times" by Mr. E. J. Schollick, which were kiUed 

 in the Isle of Walney, on the 22nd of May ; the earliest 

 record on this occasion, of the appearance of these birds 

 in England. This one example, so accidentally observed, 

 marks in all probability the date of arrival on the 

 Norfolk coast of the large numbers subsequently met 

 with, and which no doubt remained unnoticed and 

 therefore undisturbed, till the first week in June. 



May 28th. — A female, at Thorpe, near Aldboro'. A 

 notice of this, the first specimen procured in Suffolk, 

 was inserted by Mr. Hele in the " Field" of June 13th. 



