174 



Sands Martins remained for some hours hawking 

 over the water. 



I learned from the keeper that on three or 

 four consecutive days before I fell in with the first 

 flight he had observed some small parties of 

 "Daws"* 1 that he never remembered to have seen 

 before. These were probably birds of the same 

 species. 



Three were also noticed on Breydon mudflats 

 about the same time by one of the gunners who 

 had seen the birds I had obtained there a couple of 

 years previously. 



It would appear that several parties of these 

 Terns must have continued passing across the east 

 of Norfolk for about a week during the latter end 

 of the month. 



The specimens in the case were shot on Hick- 

 ling Broad on the 28th May, 1873. 



LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER 

 Case 252. 



The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is, I believe, 

 of much more frequent occurrence than is generally 

 supposed, its small size enabling it to escape obser- 

 vation unless closely searched for. 



I have particularly noticed that these birds 

 during the winter and early spring appear to have 

 a regular course that they pursue from day to day ; 

 having frequently timed them arriving in certain trees 

 from the same direction almost to the minute, and 

 after remaining their usual time among the branches 

 departing, if undisturbed, in the very line they had 

 taken the previous day. 



The male and female were obtained near 

 Plumpton in April, 1866, the young being taken 



* The natives of this locality style the whole 

 of the Tern family " Daws ; " the common or Arctic 

 being the "White," and the Black the "Blue 

 Daw." 



