84 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



marshes and waterways. During the month of September three Solitary 

 Snipes fell victims to the Partridge guns in the locality of Haddiscoe. October 

 witnessed the arrival of many Woodcocks, more than the usual comple- 

 ment. Individuals are being shot even now (January) almost daily ; two were 

 killed quite close to my door at Christmas, and another caught in a Rabbit- 

 trap. In November the migration of Snipe exceeded that of many previous 

 years, especially the Jacks, which I found in plenty at favourite haunts, and 

 those I shot were in fine condition, being very fat and plump. Golden 

 Plover have been exceedingly scarce. With December came the cream of 

 wildfowl shooting ; the short snap of winter weather in the shape of a snow- 

 fall and a few sharp frosts filled the district with all kinds of wildfowl. 

 Some of the gunners who went out with a shoulder-gun grumbled at bad 

 luck after having bagged half a score of Duck in the space of a few hours 

 by the river-side ! The numbers slaughtered must have been enormous, 

 the price of Wild Duck coming down as low as a shilling each. From an 

 old Breydon gunner of many years' standing I learnt he had never seen the 

 like before. Such unusual numbers of wild birds brought out sportsmen of 

 all ages with various firearms, and most made good bags. For a few days 

 Suipe-shooting was excellent, and so many killed that local game-dealers 

 only paid fourpence each for them. As regards Coots and Moor-hens, 

 dealers would not be troubled with them, owing to the great number 

 of slain. On Dec. 18th, whilst walking by the side of Breydon, I observed 

 fully three thousand Coots disporting themselves on the still water. On 

 the approach of a gun-punt the whole host, with a mighty roar, took wing, 

 alighting farther afield, only to receive more molestation from some other 

 knight of the trigger. I counted eight punts containing swivel-guns of 

 large calibre, with owners anxiously looking out with field-glasses for a 

 shot, but the best part of the Duck-shooting was over at this date. I shot 

 a specimen of the Great-crested Grebe on the Waveney. Three Goos- 

 anders were also procured on the same river, beside a quantity of Tufted 

 Duck and three Smew. I saw several flocks of Geese ; one flock numbered 

 thirty-four. A large flock of Barnacle-Geese visited Breydon ; one gunner 

 shooting five. Mr. Walter Lowne, taxidermist, of Great Yarmouth, in- 

 forms me that during the past six months he has received for preserving 

 a beautiful specimen of the Purple Heron, shot in Suffolk ; two Bitterns of 

 the common species, one shot in the parish of Martham, the other by the 

 river Bure; a Grey Phalarope, shot on Breydon ; and other species which 

 need little attention. From what I have seen, and through information 

 received from reliable sources, I find, in spite of appeals, the slaughter 

 amongst Kingfishers of late has been terrible ; I have seen several King- 

 fishers during the winter. — Last Fakman (Haddiscoe, Norfolk). 



