NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 83 



in which it became entangled ; they then placed it in a donkey- 

 cart and brought it home. Afterwards they put it into a boat 

 with water, and exhibited it in the neighbourhood, amongst others 

 to Mr. Blomefield and his family. The precise date of capture 



I cannot ascertain, but it was some time before May, 1892. After 

 some months Rudd sold the Seal to a man at Lynn known as 



II Tater Billy," who proves to be William Hudson. 



In his memoir on the Seals in the * Challenger' Reports 

 (vol. xxvi. part 2, p. 61), Sir William Turner points out that 

 Phoca barbata differs externally from the other species of Phoca, 

 u in having a broader muzzle, in the middle digit of the manus 

 being the longest instead of the digits slightly decreasing in 

 length from first to fifth, and in possessing four, and not two, 

 mammae." To this may be added, as stated in my little book on 

 the ' Seals and Whales,' that the mystacial bristles are " simply 

 flattened hairs without the impressed pattern found in the bristles 

 of the known British species," and this I believe to be a good and 

 ready mode of distinguishing this animal. Of course the cranial 

 characters afford the best mode of distinction, but these are not 

 always available. 



I wish to record my indebtedness to Mr. Laver, Dr. Plowright, 

 and Rev. S. E. Blomefield, for the very considerable amount of 

 trouble they took in assisting me to trace and identify this 

 interesting capture. 



OENITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 

 By J. H. Gubney, F.Z.S. 



My last notes ended somewhat abruptly on September 30th, 

 1892, and missed recording what the following two months, 

 October and November, were remarkable for — viz., a quite 

 unprecedented visit of Lapland Buntings. Dr. Power was the 

 first to notice the northern incursion of this species on Oct. 13th 

 at Cley, where some remained for the winter, but the greatest 

 number were seen on the Caister denes, near Yarmouth. There 

 the arrival of Lapp Buntings was greeted by such hostile recep- 

 tion on the part of birdcatchers, bird-dealers, and others, that 

 I am sorry to say that at least fifty-six were netted and shot. 

 This migration was probably due to a gale from the east on 



h 2 



