MISCELLANEOUS NOTHS FROM YARMOUTH. 419 
Rooks were flocking to their nesting trees in the centre of 
Yarmouth within sight of the market-place, as early as February 
18th ; on the same date a flock of Jackdaws had taken up their 
quarters in the parish church steeple. 
Bearded Tits were noticed in an extensive patch of reeds on 
the Waveney early in March, a few miles from Yarmouth. I 
have every reason to believe that some nested there, and am 
assured that in years gone by a colony was not unknown on the 
Waveney. It is to be hoped that protective measures will be 
afforded this characteristic Broadland bird. 
Karly in March a Hoopoe alighted in a tired condition on 
the ‘ Hasbro’ light-vessel, and was captured by one of the men, 
who tried to induce it to feed upon snips of beef. It however 
succumbed, and was hopelessly spoiled in an endeavour to 
preserve the skin. 
On March 27th what looked very like a migration of Rooks 
and Stock-Doves took place; wind strong from the north-west. 
The former beat inshore as if afraid of being blown to sea, or 
they may have been wing-weary. 
A Bar-tailed Godwit, on April 14th, passed overhead at night, 
Breydonwards, calling loudly. 
On May 5th I saw two Spoonbills on Breydon, one an 
undoubtedly fine male, with a crest like a mop. About a score 
of Godwits, backward in colour, a number of Whimbrel, and 
five Shovellers made a pleasing variety on the mud-flats. A 
Whimbrel will tackle a Shore-Crab (Carcinus menus) much too 
large to be swallowed. It shakes off all the legs, which it then 
picks up and devours, and should the carapace prove un- 
negotiable, it will pick the softer under-part to pieces and eat 
the inside. Many Herons were dotted around eel-catching. 
A third Spoonbill had joined the other two on the 9th, 
apparently another male. He did not seem to be made welcome 
by his rival in the affections of the lady bird. 
May the 11th saw a variety of shore-birds on the mud-flats, 
many Ringed Plovers and Dunlins; several richly attired Grey 
Plovers were noted in a flock of eleven. 
The only ‘‘show”’ of Tipula (daddy longlegs) was noted on 
May 14th, when numbers flew from the grasses as I brushed 
along the crest of the ‘‘walls.’”’ The usual enormous numbers 
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