FOUND IN NORFOLK. 9 



Lari.i' seamewes & cobs, the Larus maior in great 

 abundance [about struck out] in [written above] herring 

 time about yarmouth. 



breeds occasionally about Wells, where it is universally known as the 

 "Dickey-bird." 



^ Browne here refers to the family in general terms. The various 

 species of Gulls in their different stages of plumage were very puzzhng to 

 the Ornithologists of the last century, and it is often extremely difficult to 

 say to what individual species they refer. By Larus major he would 

 probably mean the Black-backed and Herring Gulls which are found 

 on the shore all the year round, most frequently in the immature 

 plumage, but they most abound " in herring time." By far the commonest 

 species at all times is Browne's Larus alba or Puet, the Black-headed 

 Gull. Large flocks of this species and L. canus frequent Breydon and 

 the tidal shores, especially the young birds of the year. There are now 

 two large breeding-places of the Black-headed Gull in Norfolk, a very old- 

 established one at Scoulton Mere, and a more recent colony at Hoveton 

 Broad. The former extensive gullery at Horsey, mentioned by Browne, 

 has long since been banished by the drainage of the marsh they frequented, 

 and it is probable that a small colony which bred on Ormesby Broad some 

 forty years ago, owed its origin to their banishment from Horsey. They, 

 in their turn, deserted Ormesby on the erection of the works for supplying 

 Yarmouth with water about the year 1855, and fixed upon Hoveton as their 

 new home, in which place, as at Scoulton, they are carefully preserved. 



Professor Newton has been kind enough to furnish me with the following 

 note on the Terns. " Larus cinereus of Aldrovandus (and afterwards of 

 Jonston), is said to be of three kinds : one with red legs, apparently the 

 Black-headed Gull, and figured by Jonston, the second with yellow legs 

 and a slender curved black bill, the third with a pointed scarlet bill. Both 

 these last were most likely Terns — and all these were grey above and 

 white below. Gesner quotes Turner for Sterna, and there is no doubt 

 that his bird of that name was a Black Tern ; but Gesner says that it is the 

 Stirn of the Frisians, and figures a white and grey bird with a black head 

 only (most likely a Common Tern, but possibly one of the larger species), 

 as Sterna, thus using the word in \s, more general sense, and it may have 

 been so used in Browne's time. I see no impossibility in people having 

 thought of eating Terns in those days [as to that see Note 7, p. 6 ante\ 

 The Common Tern was most likely very abundant, and we know that the 

 Black Tern was exceedingly common in certain reed-beds, as stated by 

 Turner, and noisy beyond measure." The Great and Lesser Terns still nest 

 in one or two localities on our coast, although as the result of great 

 persecution in very reduced numbers. The Black Tern, or Mire Crow, has 

 quite ceased to do so. 



