172 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



one of which was identified atWootton on the 15th (N. Tracey), 

 are now about equally rare in Norfolk, thanks to gamekeepers, 

 who have entirely destroyed the small breeding stock of the 

 latter bird. 



28th. — An Osprey seen by Mr. F. H. Barclay at Morston, 

 where it had been some time fishing the channel up to Cley, and 

 often resting on the river-posts. 



31st. — One day this month Mr. Pashley observed a fine Blue- 

 throat perched on his garden-wall, which is nearly in the middle 

 of the village, and he could hear another calling in the next 

 garden. Their presence with us is not often detected in the 

 close-time ; unfortunately he omitted to note the exact date. 



June. 



5th. — Norfolk T emeries. — Walked to Blakeney Point with 

 three good naturalists who had not seen our largest settlement 

 of Terns this year, on our way counting nineteen Sheld-Ducks, 

 and finding the wings of a dead one. Since the publication of an 

 account of this fine settlement (Zool. 1904, p. 216) — for it is not 

 correct to speak of any permanent breeding-place as a colony — 

 it has increased apace, and at the present time the watcher put 

 on by Mr. Quintin Gurney estimates the nests at : Common 

 Tern, 350 ; Lesser Tern, 100 ; Ringed Plover, 40 ; Sheld-Duck, 

 3 or 4 ; Oystercatcher, 1. We quickly noticed many Common 

 Terns' nests, some containing three eggs, others only two, but 

 not a single egg was hatched. There was frequently so much 

 disparity amongst the eggs both in size and colour as to lead to 

 the conclusion that different individuals make use of the same 

 nest. Most of these so-called "nests" had a fabric of bents of 

 sea-marram, but in some there was none at all. All of them 

 were located in the open, none having sought the shade of the 

 Suceda fructuosa , which grows abundantly at Blakeney. From 

 time immemorial one pair of Oystercatchers has bred, or tried 

 to breed, here, but it is curious that not more do so, considering 

 the extent of suitable ground. We had expected to find the eggs 

 hatched, but they must have been a late clutch, for they were 

 not, and my nephew found them still intact on June 15th. With 

 regard to the smaller settlement of Terns at Wolterton, Mr. G. 

 Cresswell, who has done his best for many years in protecting 



