82 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The first Spoonbill was seen on Breydon mud -flats on April 

 12th, having come in with a strong north wind, and is believed 

 to have frequented Breydon until the 21st, when it took its 

 departure in fine weather; wind from S.E. (Jary). On April 

 26th, the wind being N.E. and fine, twelve more came, but 

 remained only two days (Jary). They were no doubt from 

 Hickling Broad, where the Eev. M. C. Bird, to whom I am in- 

 debted for much information, reports them as seen a few days 

 before. On May 3rd Mr. Patterson observed another, seven 

 more on the 7th, and two on the 16th and 17th feeding on young 

 flounders about as big as a penny, or smaller. On the 26th he 

 saw two, and three on the 30th ; also two on June 2nd, four on 

 June 7th, five on the 15th, and four on the 7th ; and noticed 

 that the large Gulls occasionally robbed them of their flounders. 

 Mr. Patterson made a clever drawing, showing eight different 

 attitudes assumed by Spoonbills, as an illustration to his ' Yar- 

 mouth Birds.' 



From early April to the end of July the uncovered mud-flats 

 of Breydon tidal broad were apparently never without from two to 

 four Spoonbills, which were seen almost daily either by Jary the 

 watcher, or by Mr. Patterson (cf. Zool. 1901, p. 269). These 

 birds were observed with envious eyes by the fraternity of law- 

 breaking gunners, who, however, were not allowed to destroy 

 them. On July 23rd I had the opportunity of watching two fine 

 birds, t but without crests, which were feeding with numerous 

 Gulls, and only flew from one mud to another when put up. 

 Their white colour against the sky whilst on the wing was very 

 striking, and as with regular beats they flew round, they were 

 recognizable at a great distance. In descending it was interest- 

 ing to see the circles diminishing, until with one long sail, 

 curving down, they resumed their position on the mud, keeping 

 within ten or twelve feet of one another, their long necks 

 extended sometimes for feeding, or bent back in repose, with 

 bill inserted between the dorsal and scapular plumage. When 

 flying the legs are fully extended, and so is the neck, which is 

 slightly inclined upwards, as shown in Mr. Patterson's drawing. 



The Spoonbills seemed to prefer the town-end of Breydon 

 Broad, in spite of the noise of a railway-station and the hammer- 

 ing on a new bridge. It may be owing to the silting up of the 



