5 8 LETTERS TO MERRETT. 



in your catalogue. A Trachurus [see Note 6i] which 

 yearly cometh before or in ye head of ye herrings called 

 therefore an horse. Stella marina testacea {see Note 87] 

 which I have often found upon the sea-shoare, an 

 Astacus marinus pediculi marini facie \see Note 81] 

 which is sometimes taken with the lobsters at Cromer in 

 Norfolck. a pungitius marinus \see Note 75] wereof I 

 have known many taken among weeds by fishers who 

 drag by ye Sea-shoare on this coast. A Scarabaeus 

 capricornus odoratus^°° which I take to be mentioned by 

 Moufetus fol. 150. I have taken some abroad one in 

 my Seller which I now send he saith nucem moscha- 

 iam et cinamomum vere Spirat to me it smelt like 

 roses santalum & Ambegris. I have thrice met with 

 Mergus maximus Farensis Clusij, \see Note iij and 

 have a draught thereof they were taken about the 

 time of herring fishing at yarmouth one was taken upon 

 the shoare not able to fly away about ten yeares agoe I 

 sent one to Dr. Scarborough. Twice I have met with a 

 Skua Hoyeri [see Note 10] the draught whereof I also 

 have, one was shot in a marsh which I gave unto a 

 gentleman which \sic\ I can sende you another was killd 

 feeding upon a dead horse neere a marsh ground. 

 Perusing your catalogue of Plants, upon Acorus verus/"^ 

 I find these wordes found by Dr. Browne neere Lin. 



'"" Scarabaus capricornus odoratus. The Musk Bsetle, Aromia mos- 

 chata, L. 



^"^ Acorus calamus, the Sweet Flag, is still found in plenty in various 

 localities in the county, but it does not appear to develop its curious " julus" 

 every year. It was very abundant at Heigham, a suburb of Norwich, on the 

 site now occupied by the goods yard of the Midland and Great Northern 

 Railway, and it was probably from this spot that the supply was obtained for 

 the purpose of littering the floor of the old parish church, Mr. Vaux, in his 

 "Church Folk-Lore," p. 264, says that up to the passing of the Municipal 

 Reform Bill the Town Clerk of Norwich was accustomed to pay the sub- 

 sacrist of the cathedral an amount of one guinea for strewing the floor with 

 rushes on the Mayor's Day. The custom is said to have been adopted "as 

 well for coolness as for pleasant smell." The pleasant cinnamon-like scent 



