MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 365 



October 20th, — The park alive with Eedbreasts. Woods tells 

 me it is the heaviest incoming of the season. I observed fourteen 

 birds on one small patch of grass "worming." They flitted 

 around everywhere ; and seemed to be very fortunate in finding 

 small worms and probably the larvae of the " Daddy Longlegs." 

 Gulls going out to sea between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., undoubtedly 

 making for the fishing-grounds : the Herring-drifters had not yet 

 given over fishing. 



Up to the 20th I heard of several Woodcocks arriving, the 

 first observed was on the 17th. That sweetest of British birds, 

 the Goldfinch, appears to be greatly on the increase on the 

 Suffolk border, thanks to the protection laws. 



[As I write these lines the electric current has been cut off — 

 thanks to passing Zeppelins !] 



Gold-crested Wrens numerous on the outskirts of the town, 

 more especially in the park. 



October 22nd. — A very red sky this morning, and the south 

 cone up. Gulls at 10 a.m. coming in from sea in crowds, flying 

 very high. 



October 23nZ. — A great number of Corvines came over to-day, 

 Books dribbling in in smaller numbers all the rest of the day. 

 Saw a Wheatear which I thought might be the Desert Wheatear 

 (Saxicola deserta). A large flock of Scoters flew past the harbour 

 mouth, evidently they had taken up their old quarters off Corton 

 beach, where Mactra stultorum appears to be fairly abundant, 

 and the low forms of life that gather upon a Sabella besprinkled 

 bottom. 



October Mth. — E arly morning beach stroll. Few immigrants ; 

 some Books and Skylarks came in, and some Jackdaws, the latter 

 flying very high, but as usual noisily. More Jackdaws on 

 November 1st. 



Wasps. — Two on as late a date as October 25th visited me in 

 the houseboat. 



A very beautiful Bed-throated Diver shot at the harbour 

 mouth to-day (October 25th). The red throat was practically 

 perfect, the head of that slate-colour which characterises the 

 bird in summer, with just the smallest trace of white at the base 

 of the bill. Mr. Gurney thought its occurrence so late with such 

 a red throat remarkable. 



