MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 363 



I observed a pair of handsome Snow-Buntings, male and female, 

 tripping about on the sloping concrete wall : they were probably 

 picking up the seeds of grasses and of the " wild cress." An 

 early appearance. 



An old gunner, who still retains a passing interest in 

 Breydon, assured me that he saw an enormous flock of Curlews 

 " make land " on the 12th, as he said " there fared to be 

 thousands," and that they immediately broke into smaller 

 groups and passed on. I have not bad any confirmation 

 of this arrival from any other witness. 



September 28f/i. — A flock of weary Books beating up against 

 a strong north-west wind ; they seem to have had a rough time 

 crossing the North Sea. I have heard reports of considerable 

 numbers of birds going southwards : a big tide came up un- 

 expectedly later on in the day, a testimony to a stiff blow from 

 the Northern Atlantic. 



Mr. J. H. Gurney wrote me on October 8th that great 

 numbers of Lapwings, Starlings, Herring- and Black-backed 

 Gulls, and also Wild Ducks and Finches passed North Bepps 

 and Cromer yesterday morning, all going due north (!) The 

 Lapwings must have numbered 5000 birds. A few Kestrel 

 Hawks accompanied them. 



October. — I noticed during September, when staying at the 

 houseboat at St. Olaves, that the Starlings feeding by day on 

 the Haddiscoe and neighbouring marshes, pass over at eventide 

 towards Fritton Lake, where I presume they spent the night in 

 the reed-beds. Flock after flock repair just before sunset to a 

 dilapidated drainage mill, about a mile up the New Cut (canal), 

 to gossip awhile and preen their feathers, each successive flock 

 passing onwards in rotation, thus making room for those that 

 follow. This habit appeared to be very regular. 



October 1th. — Bedwings arriving : several seen in the St. 

 George's Park. 



October 16th. — Starlings are repairing each early morning 

 to St. George's Park (our one small oasis), where they hunt 

 in the brownish grass-bare patches, driving their mandibles 

 with unerring instinct into the soil, almost invariably with- 

 drawing them with a fat white Cockchafer grub. Their usual 

 catch is six, with which they retire apparently satisfied. Park- 



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