ORNITHOLOGICAL REPORT FOR NORFOLK. 141 



far this theory fits may be better judged from an article in ' The 

 Ornithologist,' edited by H. K. Swann (vol. i. p. 21). 



5th. — Pochard t at Hempstead. Among nine Tealt shot 

 to-day there was a remarkable difference in size. 



6th.— N., 4, at 8 a.m. ; N.N.E., 3, at 1 p.m. Large flocks 

 of Starlings going north at Beeston Eegis (Reynolds). 



7th. — N., 1, at Cromer. A great northward coastal migration, 

 Lapwings, Starlings, and Gulls being in great strength, but of 

 this an account has been sent in (T. C. p. 449). Mr. B. B. Riviere 

 is of opinion that the migrants, following the coast-line, turned 

 south at Hunstanton, as observed by him on other occasions 

 (see ' Zoologist,' 1913, p. 177, and 1914, p. 179). 



12th. — The remains of a full-grown Water-Rat which a Heron 

 had disgorged lying by one of the ponds. A Heron dissected 

 this month by Mr. Chasen contained the remnants of Mussel- 

 shells, an Eel, a Roach, and two species of Water-Boatmen.* 



14th. — Several Gannets going east (R. Pinchin). No wind. 



16th. — An immature Gannet found alive on Holme beach 

 (H. le Strange), also a Short-eared Owl, a Rook, a Woodcock, 

 and a Pheasant, or at least their remains on the shore at Caister 

 (F. Chasen), as well as six Razorbills and three Guillemots, 

 which had come in contact with some tarry or oily substance, 

 emanating it is supposed from exploded mines. 



21st. — Mr. N. Tracey saw about fifteen Crossbills at Middleton 

 feeding on a larch, the cones of which kept dropping ; others 

 were on a spruce fir, sufficiently tame to be photographed. 



26th. — A Red-throated Diver,t still retaining its red neck, 

 forwarded from Gorleston by Mr. Patterson. Another t which I 

 found dead on the shore on December 15th also held one or 

 two of the red gular feathers. 



27th. — Not a single Common Buzzard or Honey-Buzzard has 

 been announced, but a Rough-legged Buzzard was killed at 

 Somerton (E. C. Saunders); and Mr. Roberts had two morel 



* It would appear from dissections that in Scotland Herons eat a 

 good many insects. One shot in Aberdeenshire in June, 1911, contained 

 seventy-one pupae of Gnats, eleven Caddis-flies, four Water-Beetles, three 

 eggs of a Leech, the hair of a small mammal, one seed of Potamogeton, and 

 some grass. Four others also contained similar substances, with the addition 

 of Diptera and Weevils (' Trans. Highl. and Agric. Soc. of Scotland,' 1911-12). 



