86 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



These are ten rare species, and the Cirl-Bunting, which, 

 when they do come, are to be expected in the spring or autumn ; 

 certainly not in the depth of winter. 



The migrations of all birds, or rather, one should say, their 

 intended migrations, if not carried elsewhere by wind, are to a 

 colder land— i. e. to the north — in spring, and to a warmer land 

 — i. e. to the south — in autumn. Surely birds can scarcely be 

 led by instinct, of their own accord, to migrate from the east 

 of Europe to the west at any period of the year. Such a 

 flight, though it may often take place, can hardly be a volun- 

 tary one on their part, or undertaken by them in order to 

 escape the rigours of a coming winter. Still less is it probable, 

 long after winter has set in, as in the cases which have been 

 mentioned (Red-breasted Flycatcher, Serin Finch, Eed-crested 

 Duck, &c). It is true that England is somewhat more tem- 

 perate than is the same latitude in Eastern Eussia, but the 

 difference is not very great. We may assume that certain 

 birds — e.g. the Eed-crested Pochard and Nyroca Duck— come to 

 us from the Volga provinces, more especially Orenberg, Ufa, and 

 Samara, or near there, between lat. 50° and 55° ; but, according 

 to different authorities, the winters are not colder there than in 

 England. 



The twelve months which have just elapsed have perhaps not 

 been, ornithologically, very eventful ones for Norfolk, yet there 

 is always something to remark. In January there was the 

 winter flight of Woodcocks, which often comes at or before 

 Christmas, but the great month is November, when more come 

 than in October. There was no weather hard enough to bring 

 Wildfowl, and spring soon began to assert itself. Thrushes 

 were singing on Feb. 7th at Brunstead, but it was some time 

 before Wood-Pigeons began to coo and Snipe to drum (Eev. M. 

 C. Bird): On April 2nd, Mr. W. G. Clarke found the well- 

 known "Bingmere" — a large pond near Thetford — full of 

 water, with three Ducks, believed to be Garganey Teal, on 

 it ; while on the small lake between " Bingrnere " and "Lang- 

 mere" he saw two Gadwall and four Garganeys (?). On 

 "Langmere" itself there were seven Garganeys or Teal, 

 and on " Foulmere " a number of Ducks which could not be 

 identified. 





