ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM NORFOLK. 131 



there are not usually so many, I counted sixty Sheld-Ducks 

 swimming at the mouth of one large creek. On being disturbed 

 the flocks break up into pairs at this time of the year, the female 

 as often leading the way as the male ; and the difference in size 

 when on the wing, as they fly round on their way back to the 

 royal demesnes, is much more marked than might have been 

 expected. Their eggs are generally deposited in rabbit-holes, 

 and if it be on a sandhill, instinct teaches the old duck to fly 

 straight into the hole, in order that no footprints may betray her. 

 I have never dug a nest out, but have been told by those who 

 have, that it is no light job, the eggs being often ten or twelve feet 

 from the entrance of the burrow. When the young are hatched 



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7 



the old Sheld-Duck brings them down to the sea, from the higher 

 ground at Dersingham, a distance of a mile or two. This would 

 no doubt generally be in July, and I am told by Mr. Cresswell 

 that the poor broods are greatly nonplussed by the wire-netting 

 which has been recently put up in some quantity by the King's 

 orders, and in consequence have been actually seen being led 

 down the village " street" or road to avoid it ! At this age they 

 are white, with brown heads and brown spots on the back, and 

 these colours make an odd pattern if a young nestling is laid on 

 its breast, as shown in the above figure, which is half size. 



12th. — On different occasions during May a Roseate Tern 



