21.8 BltlTISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



In Lincolnshire Mr. Caton-Haigh saw and heard of seven 

 or eight Peregrine Falcons {Falco pcregrinus), of which three 

 were netted by plover-catchers. They are commoner on 

 passage than is generally supposed, one attended my son 

 when out shooting on November 19th, and swooped at the 

 Teal he put up. 



On July 22nd Dr. Long disturbed a Montagu's Harrier 

 {Circus pygargiis) on Horsey Warren, where it was making a 

 meal off a rabbit. In several places this species now receives 

 protection, its transgressions being condoned for its beauty. 

 The melanistic variety recorded last year {antea, XIII., p. 260) 

 did not return, so it is to be feared it was shot — but not in 

 Norfolk ; even when a nestling it was considerably darker 

 than the rest of the brood. 



Spoonbill {Platalca I. leticoyodia). 



Spoonbills paid their customary visit to the attractive 

 mud-flats of Breydon, but were somewhat late this year. 

 It was not until May 20th that a pair — following a high 

 wind which sprang up in the south-west (W.S.W., force 5 

 dropping to 2) — put in an appearance. They seemed to 

 like their quarters but probably left them temporarily at 

 high tide, for on May 31st they were reported to Mr. Dye 

 as coming in from seaward, and flying low. According to 

 the watcher this pair stayed three weeks, leaving on June 9th 

 with a fresh north-east wind, against which they must have 

 had to make headway. Another Spoonbill came on June 14th 

 (E. 3, with rain), but only stayed about four days, and that 

 was all. 



It is several years now since the watcher on Breydon Broad 

 was requested to pvit down the direction of the wind whenever 

 a Spoonbill presented itself on the muds — that is if in his 

 opinion it was a new arrival. These notes which it is believed 

 have been accurately kept, and which in some cases were 

 verified from the official returns made by the Yarmouth 

 coastguard station now extend over many seasons, and 

 refer to 118 Spoonbills. 



On making an analysis of them it is found that sixty of 

 the entries give Spoonbill arrivals when the wind was north- 

 east, or due north, and fourteen when it was north-west, 

 while thirty-two Spoonbills were first seen with a wind blowing 

 from due west or south-west. It is May and June when the 

 Spoonbills generally come to Breydon Broad, and the above 

 figures indicate a wind from the north-east as being the most 

 likely to bring them, yet it can hardly be from the north or 



