2832 The Zoologist — November, 1871. 



Norwich and in other parts of the county they appeared in unusual 

 numbers. At Cromer, on the 22nd, during a severe thunder-storm, 

 I was particularly struck with the number of swifts that had left 

 their nests in the church-steeple and were flitting over the town 

 and cliffs. At a rough calculation I saw not less than three dozen 

 on the wing at once. On two occasions also, during this month, 

 when the common swifts were flying over my garden in the 

 evening, I am pretty sure that amongst them, from the marked 

 difference in size, was an alpine swift; but, though flying low, 

 I could not distinguish the white portions of the plumage. 



Garganey Teal. — Saw four or five garganey teals in flight on 

 Surlingham Broad on the 17th, and on the next day had three 

 young birds, one male and two females, sent to me froni the same 

 spot. Ou the wing this species seems to differ from the common 

 teal in having the head and neck stretched out to the full extent. 



Hohhy. — An adult male was shot at Gayton, near Lynn, on the 

 3rd; and a female, about the same time, near Holt. 



Spoonbill. — Two fine specimens were shot on Breydon, and 

 sent to Norwich, ou the 13th. 



Quail. — Notwithstanding the abundance of these birds in the 

 summer of 1870, 1 have seen but one nest of eggs this season, taken 

 at Melton, near Norwich. Since the shooting season began I have 

 not heard of any. 



Notes ou Cuckoos. — The following facts, which are perhaps 

 worthy of record, were communicated by a friend residing at Sur- 

 lingham, near Norwich. A pair of pied wagtails, as usual, had a 

 nest near his house this summer, but after a time a young cuckoo 

 was found the sole occupant : this, however, owing to the cold 

 weather in June and the absence of insect-food, soon died, and the 

 foster-parents deserted the nest. Some weeks later, the wagtails 

 were found to have another nest in a different part of the garden, 

 and in this subsequently was found a second young cuckoo, which 

 was eventually brought up by the wagtails, who had little chance 

 that season of propagating their own species. In the same parish 

 another pair of pied wagtails have for the last two or three years 

 regularly nested, though in different situations, iu a brick-yard, and 

 the men, taking an interest in them, have left their eggs and young 

 undisturbed. This summer the birds were found to have built iu 

 the -barrel of a large drain-pipe, which had laid for some time on 

 the ground, and the men, after a time, wishing to know if the 



