264 WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



excite her progeny, which would flutter up, fussily swim- 

 ming, almost flatten themselves on the surface as they came 

 within reach of her, and with extreme rapidity snatch the 

 fish that she lowered for their taking. The old male joined 

 the party and helped in the fun. 



On the land this species is scarcely so graceful, and 

 always makes a very poor hand at progression. An ex- 

 ample which I kept in September, 1901, in an aviary, sham- 

 bled along on its breast and abdomen with far less poetry of 

 motion than a seal ; but my friend Mr. J. C. Knights informs 

 me that on one occasion a great crested grebe came ashore 

 apparently slightly wounded. He pursued it, when it dashed 

 away from him along the beach, bolt upright, running most 

 nimbly on the tips of its great flat toes. 



Some time ago, during the period of migration, a great 

 crested grebe struck the vane of Martham Church spire as it 

 flew at night, severing its wing. This bird Mr. Knights 

 preserved. 



SCOTER AND " SHELL-FISH " 



I have before referred to the striking partiality of the 

 common scoter ((Edemia nigra) for the radiated trough-shell 

 (Mactra stultorum)} In my youthful days it was a regular 

 thing for a large contingent of these "mussel-ducks" to put 

 in an appearance in November, north of the Britannia Pier, 

 and remain there all winter. But of late years great changes 

 have been taking place in the roadstead, north of the town, 

 and in the coast-line (as well as south of Gorleston), in con- 

 sequence of the continual wearing away of the sand-cliffs ; 

 the position of certain sandbanks has also been affected by 

 the stronger currents now obtaining inshore. The Patch, 2 

 too, has vanished ; and in my opinion, judging by the scoters 

 deserting that part of the coast, alterations have also taken 

 place in the beds of "shell-fish" that used to lie there ; and 

 I think it more than likely that the bay, or " bight," formed 

 between Gorleston and Gorton, affords the trough-shell and 

 many other marine invertebrates excellent shelter. There 

 the scoters do now most delight to congregate, sure of a 



1 Notes of an East Coast Naturalist, pp. 57, 145* 



2 Nature in Eastern Norfolk, pp. 31-2. 



