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ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM NORFOLK 
FOR 1917. 
24TH ANNUAL REPORT. 
BY 
J. El, GURNEY, 2 eZaoe 
WEATHER CONDITIONS. 
THe Errect or Frost.—-The great. snow in Ireland on 
January 28th was soon followed by similar weather in England, 
On February 2nd we in Norfolk had ten degrees of frost, 
and birds of all kinds began to disappear rapidly, either by 
death or by migration. On February 7th the cold was 
intense, the thermometer only one degree above zero; it 
then became evident that a vast number of birds would die. 
It is not easy to say what species perished in greatest numbers 
during this fatal week, but on my side of Norwich there was 
a consensus of opinion that Blackbirds were the hardest hit. 
In one parish of about seven hundred and thirty-five acres, 
the dead Blackbirds were estimated at one hundred, several 
of them lying in ditches, but a few had crept into rabbit-holes, 
or had been dragged in by rats. The white-headed male 
Blackbird} which was the subject of a note last year (British 
Birds, X, p. 234) held out bravely until February 10th, when 
it was picked up before any vermin had time to spoil it. The 
life of another white cock,t which would also have perished, 
was saved by a trap, and subsequent good feeding. Very 
quickly Wood-Pigeons were discoverable attacking the green 
leaves of the kale, grown in Norfolk in rows, for lambs. 
This their somewhat feeble beaks could manage, but they have 
not the strength to dig into Swede turnips which have been 
** moulded up,” nor to perforate the hard rind of the bulb, 
unless decay has setin. At this time of the year the provident 
farmer is always most anxious to preserve what roots are 
left, and very glad was he, when in a few days, the Pigeons 
almost to a bird, had migrated south., Meanwhile the 
sensitive Lapwings, which we are accustomed to see overhead 
in great flocks, disappeared as if by magic. With them went 
the Rooks, for when these latter could no longer burrow in 
the stacks, their last hope was gone, but a small number 
lingered for no other reason than that they were now too 

