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ORNITHOLOGICAL RECORD for NORFOLK for 1896. 



By J. H. Gurney. 

 (Assisted by Messrs. T. Southwell, M. Bird, A. Patterson, and H. Pashley. 



The great feature of the year 1896 was the autumn migration, 

 but before allowing myself to dwell on this absorbing topic I 

 have a good account to render of the breeding of Terns, 

 Waterfowl, and Game. For instance, in May three pairs of 

 handsome Shovellers nested in a certain spot, which I will not 

 particularise ; and, better still, no less than nine pairs of Sheld- 

 ducks were credibly reported to have brought out their young 

 among the sand-hills. I need not copy notes about common 

 nests, but it is interesting to hear from Mr. T. Southwell of a 

 Cuckoo's egg in a Willow Warbler's nest, and two more were hatched 

 off in Robins' nests. Two pairs of Stock-Doves nested in tubs 

 which I had put up for Owls, and another laid its egg in the same 

 oak-tree as contained a Barn Owl's nest. Young Barn Owls bred 

 in May were still in their hollow tree, in the nest, in August, and 

 on one occasion we found them (but this was earlier) sitting on 

 two dead rats. They undoubtedly prefer the neighbourhood of 

 man and his dwellings, as they are also said to do in America, 

 and it must be solely because there are more mice and small rats 

 there for them. At eight o'clock my Barn Owls generally went 

 out to search for prey, and I do not believe they ever brought 

 back a single head of game. The Rev. Maurice Bird met with a 

 Short-eared Owl's nest containing six young, near the locality of 

 the nest of which the late Henry Seebohm has given such a graphic 

 description ; and I am glad to say he reports that Bearded Tits 

 did fairly well in their now limited area on our " Broads." There 

 were two Montagu's Harriers' nests, within a few miles of one 

 another, in the usual district, containing eggs ; and four young 

 ones, which may have come from one of these nests, were sent by 

 Mr. Laidlay to the Zoological Gardens, two of which were more 

 rufous than the others, and differed in size. It is doubtful if the 

 Hen Harrier has nested in Norfolk during the last fifty years, the 



