RED-CRESTED POCHARD. 199 



In November, 1887, and again in March, 1888, num- 

 bers of these birds found their way into the Norwich 

 Market, probably from Hunstanton. The Wash, 

 between the Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts, is a 

 favourite place of resort for the scoter, and Mr. Cress- 

 well has usually found them in great numbers in the 

 Lynn Eoads between the Thief and the Whiting sands. 

 Lord Lilford, in a letter to Mr. Gurney, dated 28th 

 February, 1888, says that some years ago Mr. George 

 Hunt, in a few days' shooting on the Wash, brought 

 home with him some 300 " black ducks," much to the 

 satisfaction of the cottage people, among whom he dis- 

 tributed them, as "they combined a fine vehicle for 

 onions with a flavour of fish and fowl." The great 

 extent of mussel scaup, off Hunstanton and Holme, 

 possesses an irresistible attraction for the ocean ducks ; 

 here, in the shallow water, they find a rich feeding- 

 ground, and sometimes congregate in astonishing num- 

 bers. Mr. Monement tells me that the fishermen notice 

 where these birds " work," as they " till " where plaice 

 are, and both plaice and black ducks frequent mussel 

 beds. Off Weybourne the ducks have to dive about five 

 fathoms to get at their food. In November, 1887, Dr. 

 Whitty killed sixty-two common scoters on this part of 

 the coast with a shoulder gun ; and a correspondent from 

 Hunstanton informed the Eev. Julian Tuck that up to 

 February 15th, 1888, he knew of 284 of these birds 

 having been brought in, and that he estimated three 

 out of every ten " knocked down " were lost, and yet at 

 that date they did not appear to have decreased in 

 number, there being still " thousands left, although they 

 do not decoy quite so well." These birds did not take 

 their departure till quite the end of March. 



FULIGULA RUFINA (Pallas). 

 EED-CEESTED POCHAED. 



This beautiful duck has occurred in Norfolk some 

 eight or nine times. The first recorded British speci- 



