The Zoologist — Januaky, 1869. 1493 



and they appeared lo go in small parties, probably nests. He first 

 observed them on the 14lh,when out shooting, frequenting the fences, 

 and where one was heard or seen others were soon met with. On the 

 15th they seemed abundant everywhere, but on the 16th there were 

 not so many, though still numerous. The two birds sent on the 16th 

 were, as near as one could judge, by dissection, male and female, 

 and two more killed on the 18th were both females. Up to that time 

 not a single bird had beeu seen in the ordinary adult plumage ; and 

 two others, shot on the 19th and 21st, also proved to be an immature 

 male and female, the former slightly darker in colour than any of the 

 rest. A pair or two have been generally seen in that neighbourhood 

 every year, and during the last two years more than usual ; but this 

 flight is something quite new, in our experience of this species, either 

 on the Suffolk or Norfolk coast, their numbers at once attracting 

 attention, in spite of their unobtrusive plumage, whilst the absence of 

 adult specimens is very remarkable. Is it at all likely that in this 

 species the dark plumage is laid aside at the close of the breeding 

 season, and young and old assume the same sombre tints ? 



Crossbill— On the 16lh, as I am informed by Mr. Rising, of Horsey, 

 near Yarmouth, several crossbills were observed on a crab-apple tree 

 opposite his house, busily feeding on the fruit, and though some 

 children were employed at the time gathering the apples, the birds 

 were not to be frightened from their feast. The mischief done by 

 Ihera in so short a time was remarkable, there being scarcely a bough 

 on the tree that did not exhibit some symptoms of their taste for the 

 juice of the crab. Three specimens were shot, of which I saw two, an 

 old male and female, and the breast of the latter seemed to indicate 

 that she had beeu sitting. On the 15th another male was shot at 

 Carlton, near Norwich, and an adult pair, on the 21st, at Beeston, 

 near Cromer. 



Osprey. — A fine bird of this species was taken near Strumpsham, 

 on the 19th, having been caught in a trap placed on a gate-post and 

 baited with some small bird. 



Greenshank. — An immature bird was killed at Clay on the 18th. 

 This is a species from some cause much more scarce now than in 



former years. 



Glossy Ibis.— The bird recorded by Mr. Gunn, in the ' Zoologist' 

 (S. S. 1423), was killed at Slalham on the 13lh ; and I have since 

 heard from Mr. Rising, of Horsey, that an ibis was seen in the vicinity 

 of Yarmouth early in January last. I know of no other specimen 



