122 THE ZCOLOGIST. 
of the trees. A good many must have bred again in the Thet- 
ford and Brandon district, for eight nests were found in less 
than half a square mile by Mr. B. B. Riviere, and on April 15th 
Mr. W. A. Clarke saw a nest at Foulmere. 
The Breeding Season.—The summer of 1911 was terrible, 
being the hottest and most rainless summer experienced in the 
counties of Norfolk and Suffolk since 1868 (see Weather Report, 
by A. W. Preston, F.R.Met.Soc.). In many places fields of 
barley took fire by the sparks emitted from adjacent lines of 
railway. July 31st was supposed to have been the hottest July 
day for fifty-two years, and on Aug. 9th my thermometer stood 
at 96° in the shade. Young Partridges did not suffer nearly so 
much as many people, who are unaware bow little moisture 
these birds require, expected, and contrary to anticipation it 
proved an extraordinarily good year for wild Pheasants. 
The great event of 1911 was the breeding of the Bittern, 
possibly due to the drying up of some of the Dutch swamps by 
the great heat. Miss Turner has already published an ad- 
mirable account of the way in which she found the young one 
(cf. ‘ British Birds’ and ‘Country Life’ (Dec. 2nd, 1911)), but 
I can add a few particulars to this record. The last nidifica- 
tion of a Bittern in Norfolk, if not in England, was in 1886, 
when a young one was obtained. Although nearly full-grown, 
there was no doubt about its being home-bred, for there was still 
down upon it when I examined it at the shop of the late Mr. Cole. 
It is equally satisfactory to have established, on the excellent 
authority of Mr. N. Tracey, the nesting of the Common Curlew 
in the vicinity of King’s Lynn. Readers may perhaps remember 
that the nidification of this species was provisionally announced 
so long as twenty-three years ago (Zool. 1889, p. 336). 
Another species which I think calls for some remark is the 
Little Owl, for it seems to be resolutely spreading, and to be 
making its way into Norfolk and Suffolk. In 1910 seven were 
recorded as mercilessly destroyed by keepers, and during 1911 
seven or eight more can be added to that list. Mr. Tracey has 
every reason to believe that a pair bred near Lynn. 
The Autumnal Migration.—The first part of the autumn 
migration was very slack; only a single Bluethroat was seen, 
and one good observer, who often comes to Norfolk, and who 
