BIRD NOTES 49 



old John Bessey the reputed best shot with a 

 punt gun that ever worked Breydon who in May 

 1827 shot a pair of Collared Pratincoles (Glareola 

 pratincola) on Breydon wall. They were so dirty 

 and besmeared with blood that the wife of Harvey, 

 a noted game dealer, washed them as she would 

 stockings, and hung them on a pole to dry ! 

 Harvey gave twenty shillings for them, and ob- 

 tained, even after the rough treatment to which 

 they had been subjected, no less than 7. 



A Ferruginous Duck (Fuligula nyroca) hung 

 amongst other ducks on Durrant's stall in Yarmouth 

 market-place on October 1894. It was passed and 

 repassed during the day by several " bird-men," and 

 was then accidentally recognised by a local skin- 

 dealer, who was "feeling" the fowl in a casual, 

 cook-like manner. 



Some years ago, before the allotments were 

 drained and made into suitable grazing marshes, 

 an old gunner named Sampson used to go flighting 

 there at eventide. In the dusk there came towards 

 him what he took to be a Heron. He fired at and 

 killed it, and paid no more heed to it than flinging 

 it down beside another bird or two previously shot, 

 notwithstanding he had casually noticed its flight was 

 4 



