364 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



At first it did not occur to me whence the noise proceeded, and 

 I put my glasses on to the Acle Road, imagining it to be caused 

 by a motor-car. Then I noticed the curious evolutions of a 

 large flock of mixed Gulls, mostly Greater Black-backed, that 

 were circling and gyrating around each other, like so many 

 whirligig beetles on a ditch, but ascending on each sweep. Then 

 I observed the cause of their affright to be the passing over of 

 a biplane, which they evidently imagined to be some huge bird 

 of prey or ill omen ; they kept circling around until the machine 

 outdistanced them, when they descended again to the flats, 

 holding confab with outstretched necks and many signs of 

 uneasiness. They had scarcely recovered their equilibrium 

 when the uncanny creature reappeared in sight, and the same 

 uneasy evolutions were repeated. I expect that a little more 

 familiarity will breed in them the proverbial contempt. 



13th. — On this date I sailed across Breydon, putting up a 

 couple of Common Scoters. This is a rather unusual record for 

 this month. 



Next day I was still more astonished to see no fewer than 

 twenty Bernicle Geese pass over my head at St. Olave's (five 

 miles from Breydon). They were spread out in extended line 

 leading from N.W. to S.E. ; the wind was S.E. So close were 

 they to me that I might have thrown a stone far beyond them, 

 and they passed so low that I could easily note the markings on 

 the back and wings. On the following day an odd bird flew in 

 the same direction. 



I was greatly disappointed by a couple of Swallows on June 

 14th. They flew into the cabin of my houseboat twice, and on 

 each occasion went round and round, inspecting the rafters, 

 paying small attention to me. I hoped they would fix up a nest 

 inside, but they were apparently dissatisfied ; they went into an 

 adjoining half-finished houseboat, dabbed on a few beakfuls of 

 mud, and then abandoned that. 



Greenfinches come to my bank-side, and greedily devour the 

 flowering heads of the groundsel ; local, " sanchen." 



In a secluded lane, a short walk from my mooring-place, the 

 Bed-backed Shrikes nest annually. In June I found several 

 aged and dead " thorns" on which they impaled their favourite 

 prey — the common bumble-bee. One day they "jabbed " — I 



