1702 Reptiles. 



A few remaining stragglers of the common winter wild-fowl, and with them a few im- 

 mature specimens of the red-breasted merganser, occurred about the same time. It 

 has been observed by Mr. Palgrave, at Yarmouth, that the hooded crows appeared to 

 congregate at that place, previous to their northward migration, about the 18th of this 

 month, and that many of them appeared to depart with a south wind, which sprang up 

 on the 20th : the same wind was observed to bring with it a considerable number of 

 pied wagtails, several of which were seen to alight in a field near Caistor. The mi- 

 gration of this bird in Norfolk was not before known to us. The Sclavonian grebe, 

 which (still retaining its winter dress) generally passes through Norfolk during this 

 month, on its northward migration, in tolerable abundance, has this year been decidedly 

 less numerous than usual. A male lesser spotted woodpecker was killed, about the 

 third week of the month, at Blickling, (a parish which has been previously observed to 

 be a locality for this species), and about the same time a male gadwall was killed at 

 Surlingham. At the end of the month several specimens of the pintail and garganey 

 ducks occurred on different parts of the coast. A very beautiful specimen of the little 

 crake, in adult plumage, was also taken near Yarmouth at the end of the month. On 

 the 31st, a pair of woodlarks were observed on some hollies, at Easton ; and we are in- 

 clined to suspect that the few birds of this species which are found in Norfolk arrive 

 about this time, and that the opinion which we have expressed as to their remaining in 

 Norfolk through the winter (Zool. 1310) is incorrect. A butterfly, the description of 

 which leaves no doubt that it was the Camberwell Beauty, was observed at Easton on 

 the 22nd of this month, about \ past 4, p.m. The afternoon was very fine, and the in- 

 sect was observed fluttering over some heath for a short time, when it rose and disap- 

 peared among the tops of some neighbouring birch trees. — /. H. Gumey, William R. 

 Fisher ; March, 1847. 



Errata in the Notes for January and February. 

 At page 1691, the second line from the bottom, for seeking, read netting. 

 „ 1692, the fifth line from the top, for martin, read merlin. 

 „ „ the twelfth line from the top, for shrew, read smew. 



A Tortoise Bank. — The river now expanded to about eight hundred yards wide, 

 and paddling pleasantly along we came to a high sloping bank of loose sand, which I 

 landed to examine. It had an angle of more than 50°, had a sonth-west aspect, and 

 was composed of loose, sharp sand, derived from disintegrated rock. This was one of 

 those tortoise-banks occasionally found on the margin of the rivers where that amphi- 

 bious animal abounds. In the upper parts of the Tenessee and its tributaries they 

 attain a large size, as I had occasion to remark when examining, upon a previous oc- 

 casion, the country watered by the Holston. The contrivance of this species (Trionyx 

 ferox) for providing for the hatching of its eggs forcibly shows the power of animal in- 

 stinct ; and the details respecting it which I am about to give may be considered as 

 illustrating some of the phenomena connected with the fossil footmarks found at Corn 

 Cockle Muir, and at Craigs, near Dumfries, where the inclination of the strata is also 

 about 45° S.W. Where a slope like the one I was now examining exists near waters 



