ORNITHOLOGICAL RECORD FOR NORFOLK. 123 



the birds carefully counted, and shot as late as Dec. 8th. In such 

 a year as this the Partridge was numerically the next most abun- 

 dant species to the House Sparrow in Norfolk and Suffolk; most 

 people would put the Chaffinch third, and I should say the Sky 

 Lark fourth ; but after a great wave of Thrushes, Rooks, or 

 Goldcrests, either of these species would be in the ascendant. If 

 Partridges had anything of the Sand Grouse in their nature such 

 a multiplication would cause a migratory exodus. The same 

 causes which contributed to the plenty of Partridges gave us a 

 rare season of Pheasants, and one plump hen was shot at Hading 

 with the upper mandible prolonged to 3f in., and twisted like a 

 corkscrew (see fig.). An ordinary Pheasant's bill is an inch, so it 

 is extraordinary how such a growth remained unbroken. Another 

 curious Pheasant, though not shot on the same occasion, was a 

 hen assuming cock's plumage, combined with partial albinism, 

 which produced an altogether motley garb. 



Thanks to legislation, our Terns this year had a pretty good 

 time, one reliable witness finding as many as one hundred 

 eggs or small nestlings in a single day at Blakeney; and Mr. 

 E. Ramm believes they were not much molested, except by 

 Rooks, or, it may be, by a pair of Carrion Crows, whose 

 presence I have long suspected there. The close-time ends 

 rather too soon for Norfolk Terns, as on August 1st Mr. T. E. 

 Gunn saw several eggs still lying about, and a good many young 

 birds just leaving the nest ; and on the 28th I was given a young 

 one with down on its head. The Lesser Tern seems to leave 

 Norfolk rather earlier than the Common Tern, and very few 

 remain after Sept. 20th. I did not see any on the 28th, but 

 there were several Common Terns left, and one Sandwich Tern. 

 At the close of September, some, following the course of the 

 river, came even as far inland as Norwich. As for the Sandwich 

 Terns, they were again very much in evidence. Mr. H. Pashley 

 was told by reliable fishermen that on one or two days there were 

 actually more Sandwich than Common Terns off Stiffkey and 

 Wells, and beautifully mottled examples were repeatedly seen at 

 the mouth of the Glaven, in pursuit of sand-eels,— an increase 

 which, in such a handsome species, is gratifying. 



Arctic Skuas, immature and changing, were comparatively 

 plentiful all through August, September, and October, at or near 



