MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM GREAT YARMOUTH. 371 



sprinkled with broken valves. On April 19th " Jim Crow " un- 

 wittingly showed me his methods. I was nearing a certain 

 corner, walking at the grassy base of the wall, when a Hooded 

 Crow shot up six feet above the wall, with his tail towards me, 

 and down fell a large Mussel on to the concrete slope on the 

 other side. He had no idea of my presence as I skulked in the 

 grass and crawled nearer. Four times he dropped the Mussel 

 unsuccessfully, but managed it on the fifth attempt from an 

 increased height, when he descended in triumph to enjoy his 

 luscious tit-bit. I rushed up the wall and surprised him, but 

 he had already torn out the bulk of the meat. Up he flew in a 

 hurry with four of his brethren, who had apparently waited for 

 him to finish his dinner. A little farther on I observed a mixed 

 flock of Eooks and "Hoodies " grubbing at Mole-heaps, evidently 

 in search of worms and insects. 



March 31st. — Two hundred and fifty Wigeon on Breydon to- 

 day. A flock of thirty Knots, all as grey as in winter, feeding 

 in almost as compact a flock as sheep. They were so tame 

 and unsuspicious of me that they kept just ahead of my punt's 

 bow as I rowed. 



I am informed by a friend that quite thirty Bearded Tits 

 visited a certain part of North Suffolk a week ago. Four Jays 

 were busy in a wood as I stood chatting with him on March 31st. 

 Eight Crossbills visited his garden yesterday. I saw a freshly 

 killed viper hanging on a hawthorn branch. Several Snipe in 

 the vicinity were busy, and drumming. Observed a Goldfinch 

 busily tugging at a fir-cone on a fir-tree ; and a White Wagtail 

 (Motacilla alba) on the edge of a garden. The Yellow Wagtail 

 (M. rail) has been singularly scarce this year. 



Two unfortunate immature Black-headed Gulls caused a 

 little talk in April among Breydon frequenters. At first sight 

 they suggested Grey Plovers, but a nearer view showed them to 

 be Gulls that had evidently dropped down upon floating tar or 

 petrol ; they were grey above and black beneath. All the other 

 Gulls objected to their company and they remained together, 

 companions in distress. They could make but a very poor 

 flight, and undoubtedly succumbed in the end. A fisherman 

 tells me that at sea he had caught " Kittys " (Kittiwakes) by 

 means of tarry twine whirled around among them, and on baits 



