ORNITHOLOGICAL RECORD FROM NORFOLK. 123 



son). In one case some were seen on ragwort plants (Gunn). 

 During the first six days of August the wind was west, and it 

 was probably then that they crossed, but on the 7th it was 

 E.N.E. with rain ; so it is not very easy to follow their move- 

 ments, but they seem to be commoner in England than they used 

 to be. Their customary tameness and cry of "gip gip" on the 

 wing was most likely to attract attention, but the recent extension 

 of our county close-time to Aug. 31st saved many, though one or 

 two fell a prey to cats and stones, and one was recovered from a 

 muddy creek. They were not so fortunate on the coast of 

 Suffolk, whence Mr. Gunn received several to preserve, and Mr. 

 Lowne, of Yarmouth, had thirty-two, chiefly red males ; but the 

 flight soon passed on. The Crossbill is, and always has been, 

 an irregular bird in Norfolk, even from the days of Sir T. Browne. 

 From 1869 to about 1891 very few indeed appeared, but since 

 then there have been a good many strolling bands, for the most 

 part in June, August, and September. It appears that the 

 present "wave" flowed in other parts of England, the west 

 especially. With regard to the female which bemired itself in a 

 creek, it may have been wounded, as it did not live long. But I 

 remember some years ago hearing of Crossbills which got into a 

 sluice at Swaffham, probably to drink, when the soft mud was like 

 bird-lime to their plumage, and soon led to capture. 



18th. — A good adult female Buddy Shelduck sent up from 

 Yarmouth? (Connop), and an old male Pintail, but in ** eclipse" 

 as to plumage, caught by Mr. Partridge on Saham mere. This 

 is the third time Mr. Partridge has had a Pintail on his mere as 

 early as August, significant of these birds breeding somewhere 

 on British soil, unless they were migrants, which is not likely. 

 Pinioned Pintails formerly bred on the lake at Stanford. 



September. 



N. wind fourteen days, S. wind seven days, W. wind seven 

 days. Less than a quarter of an inch of rain in the whole 

 month. The 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th were very hot days, with a 

 fine aurora on the 9th. 



The Pheasants, impelled by drought, scraped the dusty soil 

 off potato-beds, and ate considerable portions of the potatoes ; 

 and, where turnips were in proximity to their coops, in some 



