172 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



22nd. Eared Grebe and Whooper at Cley (Pashley). 



27th. Two Sclavonian Grebes, Cormorant, and Purple Sand- 

 piper at Cley. 



28th. Received from a gunner at Cley two of the darkest- 

 bellied Brent Geese I have ever seen, but with the white neck- 

 patches widely separated in front as well as behind, showing that 

 they could not be Bernicla nigricans. It is a mistake to suppose 

 that the dark- and light-bellied races — if they be races — do not 

 sometimes associate. 



March. 



Prevailing wind S.W. 



March 11th was the first real spring day, succeeding a total 

 eclipse the night before. The great lake at Fritton, which had 

 been frozen for many weeks, thawed rapidly, and immediately the 

 appearance of a number of Great Crested Grebes was reported. 



Then came several days of beautiful spring weather, and 

 Robins began to nest, which did not prepare us for what was to 

 follow. 



24th. A hurricane, the most destructive ever known to timber 

 in Norfolk, though lasting only from 2.30 to 4 p.m. ; but in that 

 short time this county lost about a quarter of a million trees, mostly 

 Coniferce, the prostrate silver firs, their heads all pointing to the 

 east, being counted by thousands on scores of estates. Many 

 Pheasants were buried alive, and Rooks, already nesting, were 

 whipped to the ground with a few Wood Pigeons, but I did not 

 see them. A great many trees were upset at Scoulton, where the 

 Gulls had already assembled, but fortunately none grow on the 

 part of the " hearth " where they breed, now limited to about an 

 acre. In 1871. Stevenson says, the Gulls' nests extended over 

 nearly fifty acres, and that as many eggs were taken in a day as 

 were gathered during the whole of the present season (about 

 2000) ; not that this diminution was due in any way to the 

 hurricane, which will be long remembered as being the greatest 

 we have had since 1860. 



31st. A Grey-headed Wagtail was taken on a smack off 

 Yarmouth (B. Dye). 



April. 

 Prevailing wind S.W. 



1st. A Black Guillemot was killed near Cley (Pashley). 

 26th. Two Kentish Plovers were shot at Yarmouth (B. Dye). 



