DISTRIBUTION OF THE BIRDS OF SUFFOLK. 265 



the county, in 1876, when a league was formed by 

 the neighbouring proprietors to protect it, Lord Lilford 

 sending two of his own hen Bustards to be liberated, in 

 order to induce the cock to stay. The Stone Curlew, its 

 feeble representative, now alone survives, and is still not 

 uncommon. The Breck is the principal centre both of it 

 and of the Wheatear, which breed abundantly throughout 

 this district, though both are found in many other parts of 

 the county. The Woodlark also breeds, but more rarely, 

 and in that district only ; the Stock Dove also, a bird 

 found in all the eight districts, may be spoken of as more 

 especially belonging to the Breck ; multitudes bred in the 

 last century on the sandy plains near Brandon, and the 

 shepherds annually took the young for sale; they breed 

 there still, but in diminished numbers. The Kite, no 

 more a denizen in the county, was formerly not rare on 

 the open warrens about Elveden, where, in the days of 

 hawking, it used to be chased by the Falcon. A few 

 examples have been found there withiu the last ten years. 



The fens, once abundant about Mildenhall, were formerly 

 frequented by the Rutland Reeve, but the bird is now extinct 

 in Suffolk, except as an accidental visitor. The Bittern also 

 was once a resident there, but is not now known to breed 

 anywhere in the county. The Spotted Crake still survives, 

 and breeds in several fenny districts. The Snipes are 

 also more especially fen birds, but their numbers are 

 diminishing in most places, if not everywhere. The Harriers 

 in fine are now all rare, and are possibly verging on extinction 

 by the gamekeepers. 



While there is a diminution of some species of birds in the 

 woods, the Breck, and the fens, other species have increased. 

 The Hawfinch, formerly considered rare, can no longer 

 be regarded as such, having been found in a great many 

 places, and having nested in several ; the Mistletoe Thrush 

 is more common now than formerly ; and the Warblers and 

 small birds generally being less exposed to the attacks of 

 Hawks, appear to have increased in numbers with the 

 increase of plantations, though the narrowing of the old- 



