332 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
were worked successfully. Wild Geese were seen in considerable 
numbers on the coast and in the open parts of the county during 
the prolonged frosts in January. On the 17th a “skein” of 
forty-two, species unknown, were observed at Northrepps. Brants 
were plentiful at Yarmouth and Lynn, and in the Cley and 
Holkham marshes, and the lands adjoining. Pink-footed Geese 
were said to be “as common as Rooks.” Enormous flocks of 
Dunlins frequented the Breydon “‘ muds” when the weather was 
most severe; but little else of note, except the usual congregation 
of large and smaller Gulls, some of which in favourable localities 
were so hard up for food that the fisher-boys trapped them alive 
on the shore. 
The great flight of Redwings and Fieldfares, the chief feature 
of the December frosts, had passed southwards,—the survivors at 
least,—and scarcely any were seen later ; but the remains of many 
were found when the snow disappeared in the marshes surrounding 
the broads, and in other wild and out-of-the-way places, where they 
had sought in vain for a sufficiency of berries and other food. 
Bramblings, which early in the winter had been very scarce, 
appeared in considerable numbers at Yarmouth, and in some 
more inland localities, in the January frosts, with Snow Buntings 
in plenty; but I heard of no Mealy Redpolls, or Siskins. 
Hawfinches and Green Woodpeckers, as will be seen by the 
following notes, suffered considerably; but the Kingfishers that 
survived the November floods, on the eastern side of the county, 
must have left us for a time, as none, that I am aware of, were 
found dead during the frosts. 
Such was the winter! and the so-called spring, repudiating 
altogether Thompson’s poetic notions, but closely assimilating 
itself to Tom Hood’s version of that rheumatic season, brought 
us more snow, varied with rain or sleet, severe frosts at times, 
and cold nights, continuously till the birds of our gardens and 
shrubberies seemed as thankful for the supplementary food 
supplied to them as in the “hard times” of the winter itself. 
Such, too, was the fate that awaited our summer migrants, whose 
insectivorous appetites it was impossible to provide for artificially. 
As a rule, I have no reason to think that our summer visitants 
arrived much later than usual, the Nightingales certainly did not; 
but in such weather as we experienced in March and April, it 
becomes a farce to register first appearances, as these unfortunate 
4 abe 
