GOLDEN ORIOLE. 87 



occurring as they do for the most part in pairs, 

 between spring and autumn, but the brilliant plumage of 

 the male bird at least, must inevitably attract notice, 

 and in these " collecting" days the fate of a visitant so 

 rare and so beautiful is unhappily sealed at once. The 

 subjoined list, I believe, includes all the examples 

 obtained in this county during the last seventeen years. 

 1847. On the 8th of May, an adult male was shot 

 in the garden of the Dolphin public-house, at Heigham ; 

 and another bird, probably the female, was observed 

 near the same spot on the following day. This specimen 

 is now in the collection of Mr. J. H. Gurney. 



1850. On the 1st of August a female was killed 

 near Yarmouth; another, supposed to be the male, 

 being seen at the same time. 



1851. In July of this year, an adult female was 

 obtained near Bungay. 



1853. About the 17th of May, two males, in full 

 plumage, were killed, one at Kenninghall and the other 

 at Dilham. The former specimen was particularly rich 

 in plumage. 



1856. On the 18th of May, a pair were shot toge- 

 ther near Lakenham. These birds, which are now in 

 my possession, are also in full adult plumage, the male 

 bird extremely beautiful, from the rich contrast of black 

 and yellow. 



1861. A male, in full plumage, picked up dead at 

 Felbrigg, near Cromer, about the 17th of May. This 

 bird, in the collection of Mr. J. H. Gurney, exhibited 

 no appearance of having been shot, but, although 

 perfect in plumage, had from some cause almost wasted 

 away. 



The following are all the earlier notices of the occur- 

 rence of this species in Norfolk that I have been able to 

 find in either published or MS. notes : According to 

 Yarrell, a pair shot at Diss, in 1829, were in the collec- 





