4188 The Zoologist — October, 1874. 



wonderful gymnastics in their eager search after some kind of insect- 

 food ; at least such I presume to be their object, as in flitting from 

 one catkin to another not one in ten occupies their attention for 

 more than an instant, though a prolonged stay on some seems to 

 reward their exertions. 



Spring Migrants. — The following dates of arrival of spring 

 visitants have been chiefly supplied me by Mr. J. H. Gurney from 

 the neighbourhood of Cromer, and by a few other authorities from 

 diff"ereut parts of the county : — 



April 3rd. ChifTchaflf at Northrepps. 4th and 5th. Nightingale 

 first heard in two localities near Norwich, au extremely early date ; 

 several in song near the city on the Cth, 7lh and 8th. In the late 

 Mr. Marsham's table of " Indications of Spring," as made from his 

 own observations during a period of nearly sixty years, at Stratton 

 Strawless, near Norwich, under the head of " Nightingale sings," 

 the earliest date is April 7, 1752, the latest May 19, 1792, the 

 medium time being April 28, 1784, a difl'erence of forly-two days 

 being observed in fifty-nine years. 



10th. King ouzel and willow warbler at Northrepps. 



11th. Blackcap at Keswick, near Norwich. 



13th. Cuckoo seen at Slanfield. 



I9lh. Wryneck at Keswick; at Earlham on the 21st. Young 

 rooks calling in the nest. 



20lh. Hobby seen at Keswick. 



21st. Swallows (two) seen at Keswick, and five at Northrepps. 

 One seen at Earlham, for the first time, on the same day. 



22nd. Wood Warbler heard at Northrepps. 



27th. Grasshopper warblers heard on lloveton Broad. Turtle 

 dove first seen. 



28th. Common whitethroat at Northrepps. Redstart near Nor- 

 wich. Young robins left a nest in my garden, and were fed by 

 the old ones on the grass plot. Young blackbirds still in their 

 nest. 



Sanderling. — A specimen sent up from Yarmouth on the 10th 

 was still in perfect winter plumage, not a trace of red appearing on 

 any of the feathers. 



Herons Nesting. — On the 21st of April I visited the Earlham 

 heronry near Norwich, and was glad to find a numerous colony, 

 some twenty-eight or thirty nests being occupied. Most of the 

 birds rose from the trees as I entered the plantation, but a few 



