The Zoologist — June, 1866. 261 



Hanjinch. — An adult female killed at Henipnall, on the 12th 

 of February, and another at Mulbarton ; a small flock were also seen 

 in a garden at Thorpe about the same time. 



Spotted Crake. — A female, forward in egg, was killed at Ludham, ou 

 the ^Srd of March. 



Waxwing. — A friend of mine residing at Thorpe, near Norwich, 

 informs me that, some time in the middle of March, he watched one 

 of these beautiful but most uncertain visitants in his garden, and 

 having a good glass was quite sure of its identity. We have had only 

 chance stragglers now for several years in this district. 



Hobby. — An adult female was shot at Belaugh, about the 3rd of 

 March, an early dale for this summer migrant. 



Sparrowhawk. — Another beautiful little red male was killed about 

 the middle of March, at Fardenhall, where the one mentioned in my 

 previous notes was procured. 



Great Northern Dicer. — About the end of March a fine specimen, 

 apparently, by the size and colour of its beak an adult bird, was shot 

 on Surliugham Broad. The throat and under parts are pure white, and 

 the back gray, but each feather having two* shades of colour. No 

 white spots of any kind. 



Snipe, both common and jack, were tolerably plentiful on iheir 

 return northwards, towards the end of March, but none appeared in our 

 market after the 31st of March : fowl extremely scarce, but several 

 fine male shovellers were killed in different parts of the county. 



iVo/e.— Nightingale first heard, April I4th ; cuckoo on the 11th; 

 swallows on the 12Lh : all near Norwich. 



April and. May, ] 866. 

 In spite of the prevalence of N.E. winds, and the unusual severity 

 of the weather throughout the past month, and even May commencing 

 with frosty nights and hail and sleet by day, our summer visitants 

 have arrived about their usual time. The cuckoo was heard by the 11th 

 of April, swallows were seen on the 12th, and the nightingale was in 

 full song by the 14th, being all of them rather early than late for this 

 county ; but T cannot say that I set much value upon statistics of " first 

 arrivals," unless the recorder has unusual opportunities ibr out-door 

 observation, and has kept a register of such facts during several suc- 

 cessive seasons. It by no means follows that the " first swallow " of any 

 correspondent is the earliest arrival, and in such cold springs as we 

 have just experienced our tuneful warblers creep into the groves and 



