166 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



birds, a note of explanation stating that the " Golden-eyes " 

 (which is a common Norfolk gunner's name for them) were 

 mostly Tufted Ducks. Of a total of twenty-two Grebes for the 

 fortnight three were Dabchicks, one " Eared " (probably Sla- 

 vonian), the remaining eighteen being Crested Grebes. 



There is at the present time at Yarmouth but one dealer in 

 wildfowl, Mr. Durrant, whose stall is in the market-place ; and 

 many thousands of birds, rare and common, have passed through 

 his hands. His birds are received from the immediate locality, 

 and from the country districts around, the smaller common 

 species hanging in bunches, the larger ones singly from hooks. 

 Rarer examples are promoted to a more conspicuous position 

 upon a fruit-tray. This stall is a fairly accurate gauge as to 

 what species are at any given time abundant, or are arriving. 

 Durrant himself is full of anecdote. On one occasion he assured 

 me that during some sharp weather he had brought to him in 

 one day over 1100 Common or "full" Snipe, for which he paid 

 during the greater part of the day sixpence apiece. Of these he 

 forwarded two five-hundred lots to London dealers, receiving in 

 the course of a day or two in return a remittance to the value of 

 one penny each, accompanied by a polite note to the effect that 

 " small cargoes were coming over from Holland " with other wild- 

 fowl. In the severe winter of 1890-91 Durrant had a large 

 supply of birds. I was fortunate enough to peep into his 

 market-book on Nov. 29th, 1890, on which date were recorded 

 the following as received : — 



Nov. 29th, 1890. 



1 Bittern. 110 Common Snipe. 



240 Dunlins. 2 Bewick's Swans. 



9 Knots. 1 Pintail. 



11 Woodcocks. 3 Curlews. 



47 Duck and Mallard. 14 Jack- Snipe. 



52 Blackbirds and Thrushes. Golden-eyes (several). 



1 Godwit. 39 Larks. 

 14 Plovers (various). 



As this was an exceptionally busy year with him, I kept a 

 record, usually counting the birds myself, publishing the same 

 in the * Eastern Daily Press.' The following two examples will 

 suffice : — 



