2500 The Zoologist— March, 1871. 



In the ' Zoologist' for last March (S.S. 2056), I stated that a little 

 gull, in immature plumage, had been sent me from Salthouse on 

 the 23rd of October, 1869, and that another, in similar plumage, 

 was also killed at Blakeney on the 30th of the same month ; both 

 of these, as is commonly the case, were solitary specimens, and no 

 more appear to have been remarked until about the end of 

 December or beginning of January, when another immature bird 

 was shot somewhat inland at Gooderstone, near Fakenham, and 

 preserved by Mr. Ellis, a birdstuffer, at Svvaffham. The weather 

 up to that time had been miid and open, but from the middle to 

 the end of January we experienced severe frost and snow. With 

 the 1st of February, however, came a few warm sunny days like a 

 foretaste of spring, and then again, on the 6th, the wind veered to 

 the N.E., with heavy snow storms on the 8lh and 9th, followed on 

 the night of the r2th and throughout the following day by a biting 

 wind frost, more severe during the short time it lasted than had 

 been experienced for many years.* On the 13th tlie wind from 

 the N.N.E. blew a heavy gale, drifting the frozen snow like sand, 

 in places sweeping it clean off the roads, and in others heaping it 

 up above the banks and hedges. 



It was at this time, storm-driven and suffering from the severity 

 of the weather, that the main body of little gulls appeared on our 

 coast; and of the numbers which fell victims to the gunners between 

 Lynn and Yarmouth, the larger portion were procured between the 

 12th and 14lh, and others during a period extending from the 10th 

 to the 28th. 



On the 11th, as stated by Dr. Lowe, in the 'Field' of February 

 26th, a flock of at least a dozen were seen in Lynn Harbour, 

 sheltering from the gale outside, of which several are, no doubt, 

 included in the following list, supplied me by Mr. Wilson, bird- 

 preserver, of that town: — February 11th, two shot in Lynn Har- 

 bour; 12th, one on the Estuary Bank; 14th, two ditto, and one 

 in Lynn Harbour; 15th, one on the Estuary Bank. All these were 

 in full adult plumage, five males and two females. About the same 

 date Mr. Baker, a bird-preserver at Cambridge, received three 

 adult specimens from Hunstanton, where a guuner is said to have 

 shot thirteen in one day, but, considering them too small to make 

 plumes for ladies' hats, threw them all away. Mr. Micklefield, of 



* Mr. Cordeaux, in the ' Zoologist' for 1870, remarks " the 13tli, 13th and Utb of 

 February were the roughest days I ever recollect on our Liucolushire marshes." 



