8 NOTES FROM NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK. 



May last which had just died, after living as a caged bird just 

 seventeen years in the possession of a Mr. Lincoln of this city. 

 I have kept Goldfinches from eight to ten years, and have known 

 canaries to live even twenty years. 



At page 480 of ' The Zoologist ' for 1885 I recorded the 

 capture of a female Koller near Norwich, and, having twenty 

 years previously received a male bird, I have compared the two, 

 with the following result : — The principal measurements were — 

 In total length (beak and tail inclusive), male 12|- in., female 

 13j in. ; expanse of wing, male 25 in., female 25^ in. ; wing 

 (from carpus), male 71 in., female 7| in.; bill to gape, male 

 If in., female If in.; tail, male 5 in., female 5 in. The female, 

 being slightly the larger of the two, weighed 4| ounces. 



A Blackbird was shot at Fleggburgh, near Yarmouth, Dec. 

 8th, 1884, which had the head, neck, and under parts of a 

 rufous brown ; crown of head, back, wings, and tail of a brownish 

 ash ; bill and legs brown ; irides pale brown. Another, in similar 

 plumage, was killed at Narford, near Swafham, on 9th January, 

 1885 ; it had the tips of the primaries dirty white ; bill deep 

 yellow ; irides paler brown than usual. 



A white Sparrow was shot on the 16th October, 1885, at 

 Banham, near Attleborough, and proved on dissection to be a 

 male. It was not a true albino, however, the eyes being of a 

 pale brown. The bill, legs, and toes pale brown. Two varieties 

 of the Greenfinch were brought me by a local birdcatcher, who 

 had netted them with others near Norwich in December, 1884, 

 and January, 1885. They were exactly alike, and may have 

 been from the same nest, as they were caught in localities not 

 three miles apart. The plumage was of a pale uniform cinna- 

 mon colour, with pale green rump. Bill, eyes, and legs pale 

 brown. 



A pure white Skylark was caught on December 5th, 1885, in 

 this neighbourhood, and was kept alive in an aviary with other 

 birds. I hiive previously known, and have had in my possession, 

 both white and albino varieties ; also sandy coloured and pie- 

 bald examples ; and on one occasion a peculiar melanoid variety, 

 which was also caught by a birdcatcher, neither the plumage 

 nor feet showing any trace of previous confinement. 



An old cock Blackbird with a white face was killed at 

 Witchingham on the 28th of October. 



