THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THIRD SERIES. 



Vol. XII.] MARCH, 1888. [No. J 35. 



ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 

 By J. H. Gurnet, Jun., F.Z.S. 



If Norfolk has not produced any startling novelties during 

 the twelve months which have just elapsed, it has at all events 

 maintained its character as a great resort of migratory birds, and 

 the side of the county to which these notes chiefly refer has had 

 its fair share of them. 



The wind, which so materially affects the movements of 

 migratory birds, blew persistently from the east in the spring, 

 and still more steadily from the west in autumn. No one who 

 has paid attention to the subject can have failed to observe that 

 the feathered visitants to this county will always, if possible, fly 

 against the wind. According to Mr. Preston's annual return, we 

 had twenty-one days of west wind in October — a sufficient reason 

 for the east-to-west migration of Woodcocks, Hooded Crows, 

 Redwings, and Larks, which as usual marked November. If it 

 had been for the same period in the east we should not have 

 seen a tithe of them. There was a gale on October 30th, but 

 both autumn and winter were free from destructive winds. 



I have long thought that the subject of migration over the 

 North Sea is complicated by the frequent passage, and return 

 passage, between tides, of many species of Grallatorial birds from 

 the estuaries and mud-fiats of England to Holland. Dr. Jenner, 

 on the authority of the Rev. N. Thornbury, has noted daily 

 excursions from Holland to Norfolk made by tame Pigeons. 

 It is easy to show the possibility of both Waders and Pigeons 



ZOOLOGIST. MARCH, 1888. H 



