THE ZOOLOGIST 



No. 868.— October 15th, 1913. 



SOME MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FEOM GREAT 

 YARMOUTH (1913). 



By Arthur H. Patterson. 



In entering notes into my logbook (a practice I have kept 

 up since 1878), I have made it a constant habit to stand sponsor 

 to • only those that chronicle my own observations, with a 

 careful overhauling of the few outside records admitted from 

 other sources. I am confident that many rare and entertaining 

 incidents are lost among gunners, fisherfolk, and those who see 

 or handle creatures living or dead; and "more's the pity." 

 My own opportunities for field work are somewhat restricted, 

 and not every ramble in this over-drained, over-built, over-popu- 

 lated locality yields matter for delight and recording. 



On January 10th flocks of nine, eleven, and thirty Brent 

 Geese were observed flying outside the breakers, going south- 

 ward. A south-easterly gale was setting in. 



Quite one hundred and fifty Knots on Breydon on January 

 18th. I noticed a punt-gunner slyly sidling up to a flock of 

 tame Geese that had assumed a semi-wild life, and had taken 

 to gathering crustaceans and mollusca from the Zostera. I 

 certainly thought he was about to try his accuracy of aim upon 

 them, which he might have done, I imagine, with impunity, as 

 I was the nearest to him, a good mile of flat and " drain " inter- 

 vening between us. Fortunately for himself perhaps, as well 

 as the fowl, a flock of Brent Geese flew between him and the 

 tame birds, and drew him higher up Breydon in pursuit. 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. XVII., October, 1913. 2 f 



