ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 87 



waves, and keep further out to sea ; but the Little Auks which 

 visit our coast always seem to be adult, or nearly so, and the sea 

 does not spare them. Among many scores I have never yet 

 handled one young enough to have a beak smaller than the 

 normal size, which seems singular, as young Razorbills are 

 not uncommon. The first reported Little Auks were met with 

 by Mr. Ernest Gunn when walking along the shore at Caistor 

 on the 14th. These were followed on the 20th by one at 

 Northrepps, one at Overstrand, and others at different places, 

 amounting altogether to over fifty, chiefly by the coast ; but one 

 was carried as far as Weasenham. There was some variation in 

 plumage, and Mr. Dye was the first to notice that sometimes the 

 white neck was continued round the occiput. This I imagine to 

 be perfect winter plumage ; and, on the other hand, Mr. Gunn 

 had a specimen which had acquired a good deal of the black neck 

 of summer. Both Mr. Gunn and Mr. Lowne, who were good 

 enough to sex their specimens, found a considerable preponder- 

 ance of females. 



March. 



23rd. — At Scratby Gap, near Yarmouth, Mr. Patterson, 

 searching along the shore, found several Little Auks, Guillemots, 

 and Puffins, or their remains — the sea's rejectamenta after a gale 

 from the east. He also discovered some dead Starlings, and at 

 one spot eight Rooks, which had lost their lives in crossing. 



25th. — More than fifty Blue Titst in one small beech planta- 

 tion. Wind from N.N.E., with sleet. 



30th. — Gale from the south. 



31st. — Many Grey Crows leaving Norfolk, and the following 

 week (April 7th) hundreds were seen following the coast-line at 

 Horsey (Bird). They always congregate on our coast about this 

 time (cf. Zool. 1886, p. 390). 



April. 



2nd. — About April 2nd a Shag,t not adult but well advanced 

 in plumage, was caught alive, but in a helpless condition, close to 

 Felmingham Hall, nine miles from the sea, and subsequently 

 sent to me in a somewhat advanced condition by Mr. Plumbly. 



16th. — About this date Mr. Pashley had brought in for 

 preservation a female Goshawk — always a rare bird with us — 



