MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM YARMOUTH. 369 



afterwards I had the time of my life ! What irritating little 

 beings ! 



Kingfishers catching large bluebottles from twigs overhanging 

 a Belton ditch. They acted much after the fashion of a Spotted 

 Flycatcher in springing off and returning again to the self- same 

 perch. 



Adult Gannet cast up on the beach on Sept. 8th. 



One other Entry. — August 12th : The marshmen had been 

 cutting down "rough stuff" (mostly reeds) on an extensive rond 

 beside the Waveney. A northerly wind had driven up a big 

 tide, and the stubbles stood in water, to the great discomfort of 

 many insects thus left exposed to the mercy of the elements. 

 Several Starlings that had been entomologising an hour before 

 had retired to chatter upon the much verdure-splashed sails and 

 railings. Their places were taken by a small flock of Black- 

 headed Gulls, now wading after swimming and drowning insects ; 

 whilst a hundred or more Sand-Martins were busily engaged 

 snapping up their unhappy prey struggling for very life upon 

 the surface of the water. Not a solitary Sand-Martin of all 

 this congregation hunted in the air, but were hawking only a few 

 inches above water, constantly stopping in their flight to dip at 

 beetle or fly, scooping it up most adroitly, the lower mandible 

 only being wetted by the action. A few House-Martins had 

 joined themselves to this flock, and were also most industriously 

 a-gleaning. 



