420 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
seen in September were conspicuously absent this year, probably 
owing to the heavy storms of August, when the marshes were 
inundated by the deluge, the larve assuredly having been 
drowned. 
On June 5th three Spoonbills (undoubtedly those from 
Breydon) had been seen at Easton Broad, near Southwold, by 
the Rev. Julian Tuck. These birds evidently come and go, for 
they are seen a day or two, then lost sight of, and once again 
return ; and if unmolested will spend the best part of the- 
summer in and around the neighbourhood. 
On June 9th I saw nine Shovelers on the mud-flats, in all 
probability feeding on the Hydrobiide found abundantly on the 
blades of the Zostera. 
That a Starfish will produce curious results on a cat that 
may have eaten one, I well know; but I was unaware that 
blowflies found Asteriade deadly until having placed three or 
four Sun-stars (Solaster papposa) on the top of a hen-house to 
dry in the sun, the aroma drew together a goodly crowd of 
flies both of the blue and green coloration. They ravenously 
clung to them, and seemed loth to move. My young Japanese 
silky chickens as eagerly snapped up many flies. I observed that 
the flies soon began to show signs of apathy, and tumbled about 
in the same manner that they will do on having come in contact 
with Keating’s powder. Before long dead flies besprinkled the 
neighbourhood, and I began to fear for my chickens, which, how- 
ever, came to no harm. 
A Red-backed Shrike was observed in an adjoining village 
early in June to make several visits to a certain field, carrying 
away a young Partridge on each occasion. It was shot when 
bearing away its fifth victim. 
A Squacco Heron, which will most likely be recorded in 
Mr. Gurney’s “‘ Notes,” was obtained in the neighbourhood in 
June. 
For many years the Swifts to the number of ten pairs 
annually resorted to the eaves of an ancient house near the 
Town Hall Quay. In July, when all the nests would be occupied, 
a length of wire-netting was stretched along the eaves of the 
house, in order to protect a new advertising board from their 
droppings. For days the wretched parents hung around their 
