Birds. 1305 



capture of the snowy owl in this county, the one at Felbrigg in April, 

 1814, and the other at Gunton near Cromer in January, 1820. 



Little Owl, Noctua passerina. It is stated by Mr. Hunt, in his 

 1 British Ornithology,' already quoted, that a pair of little owls had a 

 nest several years since at " no great distance V from the city of Nor- 

 wich, and two instances are mentioned by the Messrs. Paget,* of 

 the capture of this species in the neighbourhood of the town of 

 Yarmouth. 



Tengmalm's Owl, Noctua Tengmalmi. One of these owls was 

 taken some years since at Bradwell, in the north-eastern part of the 

 county of Suffolk. 



Great Grey Shrike, Lanias excubitor. Although by no means a 

 common bird in Norfolk, the grey shrike is found occasionally at all 

 times of the year, but especially towards the end of autumn, and in 

 winter. We are not aware that it has been known to breed in the 

 county, but are informed that a very young specimen was procured 

 near Diss some years ago, early in the month of July. We know an 

 instance in which a bird of this species was caught by a bird-catcher, 

 on one of whose call-birds it had pounced, after the manner of the 

 smaller hawks. 



Red-backed Shrike, Lanius collurio. A not uncommon spring and 

 summer visitant, arriving in April, and departing in September. It 

 habitually breeds in Norfolk, but is a much less numerous species than 

 in many of the more southern counties. A brood of young red-backed 

 shrikes having been taken from the nest, and placed in a cage hanging 

 near the spot, were regularly fed by the old birds. Among the 

 remains of the food which was brought to the cage, we noticed the 

 skulls of small birds and parts of some large insects, apparently hum- 

 ble bees. 



Woodchat Shrike, Lanius rutilus. Two specimens of the wood- 

 chat are recorded to have been taken in this district, the one at Swaff- 

 ham, and the other at Bradwell, near Yarmouth. 



Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa grisola. A common summer visiter, 

 and breeds with us. 



Pied Flycatcher, Muscicapa atricapilla. This bird, though rather 

 rare, occurs in Norfolk in the course of its migration passing north- 

 ward in spring and southward in autumn ; and we have good reason to 

 believe that it occasionally nests in the vicinity of the coast. 



* ' Sketch of the Natural History of Yarmouth and its Neighbourhood,' by C.J, 

 and James Paget. 



