444 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



of the number of these birds which have visited Norfolk during 

 the past summer. My detailed records of those seen and killed 

 show that the number which arrived between the 13th May and 

 possibly the middle of June must have been very great. On 

 their arrival they consorted in large flocks, but they seem soon 

 after to have broken up into small parties and even separate 

 pairs were frequently seen, indicating an inclination to nest; 

 but they were at that time very much persecuted, which doubtless 

 assisted in their dispersal; the protection which followed 

 probably came too late, as it would seem the desire of repro- 

 duction soon passed away, resulting in their again flocking 

 together. I have met with nothing to lead me to suppose that 

 the great immigration was at any time followed by a second 

 " rush " ; the fluctuating numbers afterwards observed at various 

 spots were, I think, due entirely to local movements. After the 

 18th of June the records of birds seen or killed fall off rapidly ; 

 in July a large number were stationary in the county, but they 

 do not appear to have been so generally distributed as in the 

 previous month ; in August the records which I have reason to 

 believe are not duplicates still further decreased, and very few 

 were killed either in this month or September, — a fact probably 

 due, to a great extent, to the forbearance of those on whose 

 estates they had concentrated their forces, for it is certain 

 that many localities were at this time deserted, where earlier 

 in the summer large numbers were seen. During all this 

 time I believe there was a constant movement of detached 

 parties passing from flock to flock, or disassociating themselves 

 temporarily from the main bodies. After the middle of September 

 the birds seem again to have become restless, and a movement set 

 in towards the coast ; flocks were seen at their favourite localities 

 in greatly augmented numbers, and many reappeared in spots 

 which had been previously deserted ; this increase was particularly 

 observable in the neighbourhood of Holkham, Wells, and Morston. 

 Mr. Cordeaux tells me a similar movement occurred on the 

 Lincolnshire and Yorkshire coast. This movement would seem to 

 indicate symptoms of re-migration, but I have had no evidence 

 of any actually leaving our shores, and my last reports are 

 that since the 15th October the large flocks seem to be again 

 breaking up into small parties, and that they have become 

 exceedingly shy. 



