MA Y 209 



an acquaintance with the unfriendly designs of men strikes me 

 as very strange. 



Near the edge of the mere I put up two birds that were quite 

 unfamiliar to me. They rose from the ground, and seemed to 

 resemble a nightjar in shape and flight. Also there were more 

 fowl flying about, with which I am unacquainted, in appearance 

 like a large snipe, but having white fringed wings. Evidently 

 they were nesting amongst the rushes, whence came the sound of 

 ducks and other birds moving to and fro. 



Of late years there has been a great outcry about the closing of 

 some of the Norfolk Broads to the public, and the claim advanced 

 by their owners to exclusive sporting rights upon them. 

 Doubtless in some cases it has seemed a hard thing that people 

 should be prevented from doing what they have done for years 

 without active interference on the part of the proprietor. But, on 

 the other hand, it must be remembered that it is only recently 

 the rush of tourists to the Norfolk Broads has begun. It is one 

 thing to allow a few local fishermen or gunners to catch pike or bag 

 an occasional wild fowl, and quite another to have hundreds of 

 people whipping the waters or shooting at every living thing, not 

 excluding the tame ducks and swans. For my part I am glad 

 that the owners have succeeded in many instances, though at the 

 cost of some odium, in keeping the Broads quiet, and especially the 

 smaller ones like Benacre, because if they had failed in this most 

 of the rare birds would be driven away from Norfolk, where they 

 will now remain to be a joy to all lovers of Nature and wild things. 



These remarks, I admit, however, should scarcely lie in my 

 mouth when speaking of Benacre, since on our return towards the 

 beach, after rambling round the foot of the mere, we found our- 

 selves confronted with sundry placards breathing vengeance upon 

 trespassers, warnings, it would seem, which we had contemp- 

 tuously ignored. Should these lines ever come under the notice 

 of the tenant of that beautiful place, I trust that he will accept 

 my apologies, and for this once ' let me off with a caution.' 



p 



