288 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



making their way to Rockland Broad and other pieces of water 

 close to Norwich. A female bird shot near the coast on the 17th, 

 and sent to me, had its stomach filled with shrimps. On the 

 following da}*- two ducks of this species in change of plumage 

 were killed on Rockland Broad, and these I purchased ; in both 

 the ovaries were very little developed, showing them to be im- 

 mature. The gizzard of one contained pebbles and bits of clam- 

 shells, the other empty ; both birds fat. On the same day a 

 fourth, also a female, killed by a gunner named Ward ; was sent 

 me from Aldeburgh ; the stomach contained a few small peri- 

 winkle-shells and silt ; the bird was not so fat as others, and in 

 younger stage of plumage ; I subsequently received two others. 



An immature male Red-breasted Merganser from Hicking on 

 Nov. Oth; and an immature male Goosander, on Dec. 31st. 

 from Rockland Broad ; the stomach of this latter contained an 

 entire roach of 8% inches, also the partly digested remains of 

 another of similar dimensions. 



On October Bth a female Scoter was shot whilst flying along 

 the river Yare at Buckenham, and given me by a friend; the 

 feathers of its back were peculiarly margined with yellow. The 

 ovary contained a large number of eggs, some as large as millet- 

 seed. Its stomach contained numerous pieces of the lining-shell 

 of the fresh -water mussel, some pebbles, and a small bivalve or 

 two. The inner coat of the stomach was of a deep lemon- 

 yellow colour. 



Previous to the advent of the Long-tailed Ducks, already 

 mentioned, a large number of Velvet Scoters visited our coast 

 and inland waters, and several were killed on Hickling Broad, 

 with common fowl of various kinds. The first I received was on 

 Nov. Oth, and a second was sent to Norwich Market the same 

 day; on the 12th a third came from the same locality: all these 

 were males, and in immature plumage. The first weighed 2| lb., 

 and its stomech was empty; that of the third contained some 

 pebbles, pieces of flint, vegetable fibres, and silt. On the 24th 

 another, also an immature male, was sent me from Hickling, 

 the stomach of which was filled with fragments of clam-shells. 

 I subsequently received others, also young birds, which were 

 probably some of the same flock. 



A labouring man living in the parish of Ashwellthorpe, near 

 Wymondham, on opening his door in the early morning of 



