of the Norfolk and Suffolk Birds. 49 



called " Broads" in Norfolk, and on some of them in conside- 

 rable numbers. In autumn and winter these birds make their 

 appearance on the rivers in vast flocks ; and upon an appointed 

 day all the boats and guns are put in requisition, and a general 

 attack is made upon them. On the banks of the Stour the fow- 

 lers approach them, while sitting upon the ooze, by concealing 

 themselves behind a skreen made of bushes, which is placed 

 upon a sledge and driven before them. There is a difficulty 

 in plucking these birds clean, it being almost impossible to get 

 the down oti' by that process. The method therefore used is, to 

 pluck oft' the feathers as clean as possible, then to dredge pow- 

 dered resin over the bird, and to plunge it into hot water ; after 

 which the down will come ofl' quite clean, and the bird appear 

 perfectly white and nice. — On crossing the Stour in the month 

 of January 1819, in a dead calm, we observed the Coots floating 

 upon the water in a semicircle. On our approach within about 

 200 5rards, the whole body, amounting at the least calculation to 

 several thousands, partly rose and flapped along the surface of 

 the water, making a tremendous rushing noise. Had there been 

 any wind, they would have risen into the air Avithout difficulty ; 

 but there being none, they could scarcely disentangle their feet. 

 We killed two wounded birds : one of them afforded excellent 

 sport, not suffering the boat to approach it without diving, 

 and coming up oftentimes a hundred yards off": it had the action 

 and alertness of a Dobchick. Foxes frequent the banks of the 

 Stour very early in the morning to catch the wounded birds, 

 which generally make to land, and of which there are sometimes 

 great numbers. The larger kinds of Gulls often attack and 

 devour Coots. We have observed the latter, on the approach 

 of their enemy, rush together from all quarters, and form a close, 

 round, compact body, appearing like bees in the act of swarm- 

 ing. The Gull kept hovering over their heads, and frequently 

 VOL. XV. H dashed 



