DISTRIBUTION OF THE BIRDS OF SUFFOLK. 263 



Suffolk, and most of these have been artifically enlarged. 

 Much the largest is that of Ampton and Livermere 

 united ; it is nearly two miles long, and about a quarter 

 of a mile broad, and consists of about seventy-five acres. The 

 lake at Redgrave, formed by the expansion of a rivulet, is more 

 than forty-six acres in size. There are smaller lakes at 

 Culford Hall, Fornham, and Drinkstone. There is a mere 

 in the parish of Brandon, abutting the boundary of 

 Wangford. Barton Mere, a very ancient piece of water, 

 consists, when full, of about twelve acres ; prehistoric 

 bronze weapons have been found there, and remains 

 of ancient lake dwellings. Broadmere at Troston, also 

 very ancient, is not so large. Cornard Mere, near Sudbury, 

 has now almost vanished ; it did not consist, about thirty 

 years ago, of more than two acres, and its extent is now 

 much less. 



In addition to the rivers which have been already 

 mentioned there are some others of no great extent, viz , the 

 Gipping, the Blyth, the Bret, the Thet, the Linnet, and 

 the Lark. There are also many springs and rivulets 

 scattered over the county. 



This short sketch of the character of Suffolk however 

 imperfect, may perhaps in some degree serve to account 

 for the distribution of those birds that are found therein, 

 and also for the absence of others. As there are no moors, 

 there are no Grouse and no Blackgame,* although attempts 

 have been made to introduce both these birds, as well as the 



*A pair have occurred, but were Eed Grouse lias never occurred in Norfolk, 



probably introduced ; they are not counted In Suffolk, there are now no elevated 



below among the Birds of Suffolk. (See heathy tracts equally fit with those of 



Black Grouse above). Black Grouse are Lynn for such birds to live in, none 



still found in Norfolk near Lynn, where an that is, so extensive and so moist. Their 



ample extent of wood and heath, wild in favourite food Empetrum, and Vaccinium 



the extreme, affords the three most essential viti.s idcea, are entirely absent from both 



conditions of space, food, and quiet. counties, and V. oxycoccos is rare in 



They were also turned out at Beestou, both, especially in Suffolk (Stev. B. 



where though the soil was well suited to of N. i., 347-376, Yarrell iii., 62). 



them and the heathery hills bordered by Mr. H. Saunders considers the 'Black 



fir-plantations were a very promising Grouse near Lynn to be indigenous (they 



locality, they soon died off or were shot havebcenre-introduccd), but calls them an 



on adjacent manors, the ranges of these isolated and decreasing colony. Yarrell's 



hills being far too circumscribed. The Br. B. iii. 63 (4th Ed.) 



2l 



