i66 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



was keenly alert to the ways and manners of birds, 

 noticed this habit, or weakness, and on putting up a 

 Hoopoe from a furzy corner, hid near the spot and 

 awaited its return with fatal result to the poor bird. 

 It is usually exceedingly wary and shy, and but for 

 his hiding, no doubt that example would have fought 

 shy of him. Sampson killed four in his day, and 

 made about four shillings apiece off them. The 

 highest figure I have known given was three guineas 

 for two stuffed specimens in the Horsey sale. 



In the first half of the nineteenth century the 

 " allotment " marshes were a favourite resort of 

 many wildfowl. Various ducks came over from sea 

 at nightfall to feed on the large pools and lagoons 

 that formed in rainy spells, when the windmills were 

 unable to cope with the downfall. The place was 

 full of molluscous life. Numerous gunners fre- 

 quented that locality ; one old man, whom I knew, at 

 that time supported his family with his gun. To 

 this day, although the fact does not seem generally 

 known, small parcels of fowl in the autumn and 

 early winter drop in to feed in the ditches at night, 

 and depart by daylight. I have stood in certain well- 

 defined " leads," and seen and heard the birds pass 

 over in the dim light of eventide or early morning. 



