NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 87 



our Naturalists' Society, and the members were very glad to hear 

 it, that the Bearded Tits were increasing in numbers in the Broad 

 district, and this was afterwards confirmed by Mr. Bird. Would 

 that the same could be said of the Garganey, which is now very 

 rare, although Mr. Bird saw some on April 10th and August 22nd, 

 and one or two off and on between those dates. 



About this date, a curious incident occurred at Northrepps. 

 A hen Kestrel and a small rabbit were taken together at the same 

 time in the same steel-trap, which was placed a foot down the 

 burrow. I mention it partly for the singularity of their capture, 

 but it is the first time I have known a Kestrel pursue a rabbit ; 

 and this summer, also for the first time, I saw a rabbit's leg in a 

 Barn Owl's nest. This, however, was a very small one, and the 

 offence was condoned by the presence of numbers of mice remains, 

 five small rats in pellets, a sparrow, and some shrews. I have 

 never identified bats' bones in owls' pellets ; but a caged Barn 

 Owl ate a bat as if it was not for the first time. A nest of the 

 Barn Owl in the park, on April 27th, contained seven eggs. 



On May 5th the " lumps " left by the receding tide on 

 Breydon water were reported to be black with Turnstones, 

 Whimbrel, Knots, Godwits and Black Terns, and at the same 

 time Black Terns were seen at Morston and Hickling. At the 

 latter place, ten days later, Mr. Bird saw thirteen Black Terns, 

 and on the same day Mr. Pasliley wrote word that they were 

 passing Cley in flocks, going west, while scores came up as high 

 as the quay. There was evidently a great passage going on, for 

 three Spoonbills were seen, and according to Mr. Pashley (whose 

 account was afterwards confirmed verbally), "thousands of Knots, 

 in such numbers that the noise made by their wings resembled a 

 passing train." There were great numbers of Scoters also, and 

 the next day (the 16th) two White-winged Terns were seen. The 

 Knots may possibly have come from Spain, on their way north- 

 ward to their breeding-haunts, for Lord Lilford has remarked 

 that never in his life has he seen feathered fowl in such numbers 

 as the Knots at the mouth of the Guadalquivir in May, 1872. 

 He describes them as being in " countless myriads " (' Birds of 

 Northamptonshire,' p. 287). They would naturally be going 

 northwards at this time of year, and Cley might be another 

 halting-place. 



Local naturalists will be glad to hear from the Rev* Maurice 



