OYSTEE-CATCHER. 123 



and 1849, " they were common at Blakeney all the year 

 round" ; and, until within the last seven or eight years, 

 their eggs used to be sent regularly every season to one of 

 our Norwich bird-stuffers from the same neighbourhood, 

 with those of the common and lesser tern. In 1860, on 

 more than one occasion, in June, I saw two or three 

 pairs at Salthouse, not frequenting the beach but passing 

 along the coast, apparently making for some point still 

 further westward ; and in that direction, about Warham 

 and Morston, a few pairs still breed, as far as J can 

 ascertain, in such quiet spots as are yet suited to their 

 habits. At Hunstanton, on the 16th of May, 1863, 1 

 counted over one hundred in a flock, at low water, busily 

 feeding at the edge of the great mussel-scalp. From the 

 flatness of the shore it was impossible to approach them 

 within shot, wary as they always are when in large 

 bodies, and the tide had already fallen so low that I 

 question if even a Breydon punt could have been worked 

 up within range for a big gun. Thus, fortunately for 

 them, and I think equally so for myself, I was obliged to 

 be content with watching them through my glass, and 

 they certainly presented one of the most animated 

 groups of feathered life I ever witnessed, from their 

 varied attitudes, sharply contrasting colours, and loud 

 ringing cries. They all disappeared when the tide rose, 

 and from that time only a few were seen at different 

 times till the 4th of June, when I again saw a flock of 

 over sixty, but, like the former number, they were no 

 doubt migrants, resting for a while on their passage 

 northward, and were all gone on the following day. After 

 that date I never observed more than one or two at any 

 time, between Hunstanton and Holme, and from the 

 cockle-gatherers, who are well acquainted with the 

 habits of our shore birds, I learnt that the sea-pie had 

 ceased to breed on the Holme shingles, but frequented 

 the quiet coast-line between Thornham and Brancaster ; 



