

NATURAL HISTORY NOTES FROM SUFFOLK. 291 



we sometimes see the water all dried up before the tadpoles are 

 hatched ; but so enormous is the fecundity of these animals that 

 such accidents do not probably (except in extreme cases) affect 

 to any great extent the general frog population. Possibly the 

 gelatinous substance enclosing the embryo may have some power 

 of protecting it from the frost. 



29th. Both Frogs and Toads were heard croaking this 

 evening in the ditches for the first time, though both had been in 

 the water some while. Frog's spawn now abundant. 



31st. Saw two Wheatears near Iken Wood. Later on a good 

 many pairs frequented the heath, and were often to be found 

 feeding at the water's edge, among sea-weed cast up by the tide. 

 The earliest arrival of this bird I have a note of is March 2nd, 

 in the year 1871, when I saw a solitary Wheatear at Leiston. 

 In this part of Suffolk this is one of the very first to arrive of 

 our spring migrants. 



April. 



4th. Wind north, with snow. Saw a Wheatear on the mud 

 at the water's edge, and a number of Kedshanks about the 

 saltings. Heard some Curlews calling down the river. Notwith- 

 standing the coldness of the weather, a Yellowhammer was 

 singing on the heath. 



5th. Wind east, very cold, but bright. My dog found two 

 Lizards (Zootoca vivipara) on the river " wall " between Snape 

 and Iken. They both snapped their tails off, and escaped before 

 I came up ; and, but for the lively movements of those append- 

 ages, which remained jumping merrily about, I should not have 

 known what the dog had found. Considering the coldness of the 

 season it is unusual, according to my experience, to find Lizards 

 abroad so early in the year. In the present instance both were 

 found on the leeward side of the wall, which just here sloped 

 directly towards the sun. Lizards were formerly very abundant 

 about the heath near Blaxhall, but now one rarely sees them. It 

 is difficult to account for their disappearance, unless it be that 

 the Pheasants, which are very numerous, have cleared them off. 

 Vipers too were, I feel sure, commoner twenty or thirty years 

 back. These latter reptiles are sometimes carried during the 

 winter into farmyards, secreted among the whin, heather, brakes, 

 &c, which are brought in large quantities from the heath, to 



