SOME BIRD NOTES 233 



well knowing that many of them are kept in captivity, but 

 having regard to the long-continued prevalence of the south, 

 south-west, and south-east winds during this phenomenally 

 hot summer, I now consider it quite possible that this bird 

 may have visited us from Southern Europe. Still more 

 strongly am I impressed with the likelihood of this, seeing 

 that notwithstanding inquiries set afoot by Mr. Gurney, my- 

 self, and probably others, no "escape" could be traced ; besides, 

 a flamingo appeared in Suffolk at about the same time, and 

 other rare birds glossy ibises and red-crested whistling 

 ducks, for instance, were recorded and obtained. 



An interesting note subsequently appeared in the Zoologist 

 (November, 1906) referring to the pelican (Pelecanus onocre- 

 talus), and stating that late in October it took up its " night- 

 quarters in the open marshes near the shore, some distance 

 from the town (Whitstable), and when not engaged in sea- 

 fishing roamed over the pastures, and is often seen resting on 

 the ground among the sheep at a distance of over a mile 

 inland. The pastures are intersected with ditches and 

 stream-dykes, which afford the pelican food, but its almost 

 daily habit has been to go to the shore on a fishing excursion 

 when the tide is well out. Lately its visits to the sea have 

 been less frequent, owing probably to the many attempts 

 which have been made to shoot or capture it. The bird is 

 strong on the wing. ..." A suggestion was made that it 

 may have escaped from a ship ; but its plumage when I saw 

 it, as early as July, did not exhibit the least appearance that 

 would lead one to conclude this to have been the case. A 

 pelican cooped aboard ship would in a very short time show 

 traces of prison life. 



HOODED CROWS AND RATS 



The hooded crow, as far as his behaviour in Norfolk is 

 concerned, is by no means open to grave censure ; for there 

 is invariably enough carrion to be found on the shores of our 

 rivers and beaches to supply his needs, and he is not tempted 

 to resort to those predaceous habits which are said to charac- 

 terise him in some localities. The worst sins I have known 

 him commit have been laid to his charge by Breydon 



