222 WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



the river, and crouched in a crevice of a mill-sluice, where it 

 remained fully half an hour. The pursuer patiently waited 

 near by all that time, hoping for it to emerge, but he went 

 away in the end disappointed. The starling shortly after- 

 wards left his hiding-place, little the worse for his escapade, 

 but probably a sadder and a wiser bird. 



In the summer of 1899 a large hawk (doubtless a young 

 peregrine) was seen winging its way over Breydon, when 

 suddenly it dashed at a curlew which, seeing the bird of 

 prey " stoop," squatted low on the mudflat and held up its 

 long mandibles as if preparing to receive the foe, a manoeuvre 

 that seemed to have the effect of intimidating the enemy. 

 The hawk wheeled round once or twice as if inclined to 

 make another trial, but seeing my friend it thought the 

 better of it and departed, much to the relief of the poor 

 frightened curlew. I do not think the soft-tipped, pliable 

 bill of the curlew would have been much protection to it, 

 had the bird of prey really meant business. 



In one of the corridors of Norwich Castle Museum a 

 stuffed snipe, raising its soft beak to repel the onslaught of a 

 hungry merlin, has been made to do this in a most tragic 

 manner, the skin of the hawk having been bored by the 

 taxidermist in order to allow the snipe's bill to be thrust in 

 among the tow composing the body of the uppermost bird ! 



Some years ago a Breydon smelter observed a peregrine, 

 near the Narrows, dash at a flock of wigeon that were feed- 

 ing there. Presently the bird of prey swooped down on a 

 fine old cock bird, which he had singled out as the startled 

 fowl took to wing. He struck the bird, breaking its neck, 

 and had twisted round again in his flight and seized it ere it 

 fell into the water. The Breydoner ran up the bank dancing 

 and capering like one demented, and he so scared the falcon 

 that he dropped his booty, on which the man jumped into his 

 boat and quickly retrieved it. 



Some years ago a gunner named Crowther was out shoot- 

 ing. He fired at a coot, wounding it, when it was attacked 

 by a hungry hooded crow. The crow, in turn, was struck at 

 by a peregrine, which in turn fell to Crowther's gun. Verily 

 a round of onslaughts ! 



