BIRD NOTES 151 



Whether true or not, it is rumoured of him that, 

 when a rare bird was known to be using Breydon, 

 it was not a difficult task for an interested party 

 to decoy him into some favourite resort, whilst 

 another would slip into a punt and either secure 

 or attempt to shoot the coveted prize. It may 

 or it may not be that more than one Spoonbill 

 vanished, not by proceeding on its migration, but 

 in a way not intended by the Act. Old Chambers 

 kept a rough sort of diary, and from day to day, 

 or when the humour seized him, it was his custom 

 to jot down in rough numbers the birds that came 

 into his view from time to time. It goes without 

 saying that in so large an area he did not see all 

 that came. I append a few entries, which may be 

 interesting for purposes of comparison : 



1888 



April 13. White-winged Tern. 

 May 20. 3 Spoonbills. 

 June 3. 6 Spoonbills. 

 ,, 8. 2 Spoonbills. 



June 12. i Spoonbill. 

 ,, zi. 3 Spoonbills. 

 July 1 8. i Spoonbill; various 



small waders. 



1889 



March 10. 200 Wigeon. 

 ,, ii. 4 Sheld-ducks. 

 ,, 13. 17 Pintailed Ducks. 



March 15. 400 Wigeon, 1 8 Mal- 

 lard, and some 

 Teal. 



