NOTES AND QUERIES. 



275 



The Redshank in Norfolk Marshes. — Writing respecting the 

 increase of the Eedshank (Totanus calidris) in our marshes, alluded 

 to in the " Ornithological Eeport for Norfolk " (ante, p. 169), Mr. 

 J. Vincent mentions having this spring found thirty-five nests (of 

 which the earliest was on April 15th), which is certainly a very 

 satisfactory state of things. He has never in his long experience 

 found a nest with eggs earlier than April 7th, and consequently 

 expresses some incredulity as to young Eedshanks being able to fly 

 by April 25th, as reported last year (ante, p. 169) on the authority of 

 Mr. Chasen. Certainly in that case they would have had to be 

 hatched about April 1st, which is unprecedentedly early. May I take 

 this opportunity of correcting my mistake pointed out by the Duchess 

 of Bedford (ante, p. 175), where, by an oversight, the name Lesser 

 Tern is made to do duty for a Common Tern feeding its young one. 

 From the principal Norfolk breeding-place of these birds also a very 

 good report came to hand from Sir T. Digby Pigott at the beginning 

 of the month (June 5th), and it is hoped the young will not again 

 die for want of Whitebait as they did last year. — J. H. Gurney 

 (Keswick Hall, Norwich). 



Destruction of Vermin in Bedfordshire. — It is evident that, with 

 the continued increase in game preserving, the destruction of so-called 

 " vermin " will considerably alter the present status of many species, 

 and it would be of interest if " vermin accounts " from any consider- 

 able areas of shooting could be published. The following list is from 

 an estate of 2000 acres .in the parish of Turvey, Bedfordshire. 

 Previous to 1912 no strict preserving had been carried on for several 

 years, and this accounts for the unusual number of vermin accounted 

 for on so small an acreage : — 



1912. 



Jan. Feb. 



Mar. 



Apr. 



May 



June 



July 



Aug. 



Sept. 



Oct. 



Nov. 



Dec. 



Total. 



Stoats .... 



| 



2 



5 



1 



9 



7 



4 









4 



32 



Weasels . . 



7 



13 



5 



7 



13 



20 



12 



3 



3 





2 



85 







5 



4 



2 







5 









2 



IS 





5 





13 





7 



12 



9 



1 



4 





13 



64 



Hedgehogs 



1 





3 



5 



1 



3 



3 









1 



17 



Hawks . . 





1 



1 



4 



1 



2 



1 



1 



1 







12 



Owls 





4 



8 



2 



2 



11 



7 



3 



4 







41 



Crows .... 







2 



3 

















5 



Rooks .... 







4 



















4 



Jackdaws . 







1 



6 



2 



1 













10 



Magpies . . 







13 



9 



10 



3 













35 





7 



1 



3 



7 





7 















24 





347 



