NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 379 



Same date. Four White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) had 

 been seen on Breydon, three being killed. 



Cats living in the country, as is well known, often develop 

 their hunting instincts to a high degree. In an adjoining village 

 there is a commonplace black-and-white feline, some six years 

 old, and frequently having kittens, which spends much of her 

 time stalking among the lush herbage in the wetter portion of a 

 market garden. I have observed her creeping along at the edge 

 of the small ditches that drain the lower end, eagerly searching 

 for Water Voles, tracking down one now and again with 

 marvellous dexterity ; and I have known her to actually plunge 

 bodily into the water to secure her prey. She creeps into hiding 

 close by the gardener's young chickens, or wild ducklings (of 

 which he rears many), and springs therefrom upon the Sparrows 

 lured down by the food provided for the fowls. Puss makes no 

 pretence to injure the downiest chicken, nor even makes eyes at 

 the Canaries nesting in the shed within easy reach, seeming to 

 know the limits of her liberty. Not a day passes but Lizards, 

 Sparrows, Field Voles, or other game is brought into the house 

 and laid before the kittens. Among her victims figure also 

 Goldfinch, Linnet, Frog, Woodcock, Rabbit, Snipe (one of the 

 latter was brought in alive on February 17th), and other 

 creatures. A nest of Great Tits discovered on the top of a bee- 

 hive was emptied by her, and all the young devoured. 



February 26^/i. — Saw a Redshank, with an upturned bill very 

 like a Godwit's. 



Eooks to the number of twenty on this date passed over 

 seawards and disappeared in the distance north-eastward. 



The shrimpers on the west side of the river, where the timber- 

 sheds and shipping stores are situated, usually catch the cod-end 

 of their dredges and run them up to the mast-head, taking care 

 to empty the meshes of every Shrimp or small fish, owing to the 

 attentions of the Common Rat (M. decumanus), which would 

 otherwise be attracted at night by the phosphorescent glow given 

 off by dead victims ; for the rodents are adepts at climbing up 

 and gnawing holes in the net to get at them, thus giving the 

 men unnecessary labour in mending. Rats are often disturbed 

 in the early hours when at their depredations by the irate 

 shrimpers : it is odd to see them scuttling to the quays along the 



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