130 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
recently heard. Flitting among the reed-tops were a good many 
Bearded Tits, which the absence of wind had tempted up from 
their recesses. Although the ‘‘ Reed Pheasant” no longer 
sulfers from the rapacity of dealers, the gradual growing up of 
our Broads must more and more limit its area of distribution. 
A Coot’s nest was presently found, containing two eggs and four 
‘newly-hatched young ones, whose orange heads were quite 
resplendent among the reeds. These active mites speedily 
slipped over the sides of the nest, but one bolder than the rest 
crept into its fabric, evidently thinking that between the blades 
of bolder-rush its brilliantly coloured head would be concealed, 
and it was less conspicuous than might have been expected. In 
six weeks these young Coots would be white-breasted Coots. 
Further on Mr. R. Gurney punted us to a Great Crested Grebe’s 
nest, and again the scarlet countenance of a very young Grebe 
was seen eyeing us from between the blades of the bolder. 
About 1 p.m. the ‘“‘boom” of a Bittern was distinctly audible, 
and again at 1.20 the strange sound swept over the water, not 
loud this time, but rising in volume like some distant fog-horn. 
Naumann expresses it on paper by the syllables ‘‘ii-prumb,” 
repeated slowly, which perhaps is as near to it as any imitation 
can be. It seemed very similar to the ‘‘ booming ” of the Little 
Bittern which I heard at Saham Mere in 1894. 
9th.—A Teal sitting upon eight eggs at Hempstead, where 
there have been the unusual number of four nests this year. In 
1835 above a thousand were taken there in a decoy (Norw. Nat. 
Trans. 11. p. 21), which has long ceased working, although the pool 
remains. Perhaps, however, Skelton, the old decoyman, reckoned 
every Duck which was smaller than a Mallard as a Teal. 
10th.—The Bittern which we had heard on the 8th, reported 
by Mr. RK. Gurney to be ‘“‘booming” rather freely on his — 
brother’s marshes, or rather among the reed-beds, and generally 
in the afternoon. It continued to be heard by the broadman 
until the end of May, after which there was a period of several 
weeks’ silence. The ‘“‘ booming ”’ is evidently to be regarded as 
a spring call, and when sitting the Bittern would naturally cease 
to make it. 
11th.—Three Black Terns upon Breydon Broad (G. Jary), 
and on the 16th eighteen more, and a pair of White-winged 
