60 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 



1852. On February 3rd, weather mild at the time, 

 another bird, shot near Cromer, was shown me in the 

 flesh. 



1853. On February 2nd, during frost and snow, a 

 pair were killed at Yoxford, in Suffolk ; and Mr. L. H. 

 Irby records in the "Zoologist" for this year (p. 3909), 

 the occurrence of a pair at Thetford, early in March, 

 with deep snow on the ground at the time. 



1857. On December 5th, a young bird was caught 

 alive at Hellesdon ; weather mild. 



1861. On November llth, one was killed out of a 

 small flock at Horsford, severe frost having set in on 

 the 1st, with snow on the ground. 



1864. On November 3rd, weather open, an adult 

 bird was shot at Great Melton, near Wymondham. 



1867. On December 18th, one was seen by Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney in Leadenhall market, which had been sent up, 

 with other birds, from the neighbourhood of Yarmouth. 



From the above cases, then, it appears that, quite 

 irrespective of atmospheric influences, individuals of this 

 species occasionally remain with us throughout the 

 winter; for it seems more reasonable to suppose that 

 birds, killed during severe frosts, in the month of 

 February,* had never attempted to migrate, than that 



* Montagu, in the " Supplement" to his " Ornithological Dic- 

 tionary," gives an instance of a Norfolk plover having been killed 

 in South Devon, in the beginning of February, 1807; whilst 

 another was shot near the same place, about a fortnight before, 

 in that " unusually mild winter." Gilbert White also states that 

 this species was heard to pipe on the 27th of February, 1788, 

 and that others were heard passing over head, by night, on 

 the 1st of March. The regular occurrence of this bird during the 

 winter months, in Cornwall, though unknown in that county in 

 summer, has been several times specially noticed by Mr. E. H. 

 Rodd in the " Zoologist" for 1845 (p. 876), 1848 (p. 2023), and 1866 

 (p. 34) ; as well as by a correspondent in the " Field" of January 

 19th, 1867. In the latter publication, also, under date of January 



