126 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



looking in the sky, detected large birds on our coast, two miles 

 up, during the migratory period. If migratory birds travel at 

 such heights, and by night, it may fairly be presumed that moun- 

 tain chains and great rivers have little to do in determining their 

 course ; but this does not apply to Crows and Larks, which are 

 seen in great numbers off Norfolk at quite a moderate altitude, 

 and also Kestrels and Starlings. Indeed, Sky Larks may be 

 sometimes seen flying so low over the sea that, as Gatke remarks, 

 they almost adapt their flight to the undulations of the waves. 



The past year has accorded Norfolk three novelties — the 

 Aquatic Warbler, the Greater Spotted Cuckoo, and Pallas's Willow 

 Warbler — which, with the Red-banded Crossbill (Supplement to 

 the ' Birds of Europe,' and Zool. 3rd ser. vol. xiii. p. 391), bring 

 the county list to 303. The Red-breasted Flycatcher, Icterine, 

 and Barred Warblers are also very rare birds. The dates of the 

 three Norfolk-killed Icterine Warblers are, in point of season, 

 curiously close, viz. Sept. 11th (1884), Sept. 4th (1893), Sept. 7th 

 (1896); and the four Norfolk Barred Warblers, Sept. 4th, Sept. 

 10th, Sept. 10th, and Aug. 31st. Gatke gives the former as rare 

 in Heligoland, and the Barred Warbler as very rare, and does not 

 mention a September occurrence of either of them. Both are 

 found in Norway and Sweden, so there is nothing remarkable in 

 their touching our east coast on the southward migration. 

 Perhaps next year they will bring the Crested Titmouse with 

 them, which has been identified in Norfolk already by two 

 observers, Mr. Patterson and Mr. Spalding, in the former case 

 on a small Scotch fir on the Caister road, not far from the sea. 



Before beginning the diary for the year I wish to allude to 

 another subject. I regret as much as any reader of this Journal 

 can do, the repeated destruction of Spoonbills in the Eastern Coun- 

 ties which it is my lotto chronicle ; but it must be conceded that 

 the Breydon Wild Birds' Protection Society has more than justified 

 its existence, as shown by the number of Spoonbills (besides some 

 Avocets) which have visited this tidal broad and escaped since 

 the appointment of our paid watcher nine years ago. In May, 

 June, and July, 1888, thirteen Spoonbills (including six in one 

 flock on June 3rd) came to Breydon. In the spring of 1889 our 

 watcher saw three, and in 1891 two on June 14th, and one on the 

 20th which remained about, and was seen at intervals until July 



