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Bitterns. I have heard of five or six specimens killed in the 
neighbourhood of Yarmouth this winter, and one, received from 
the same locality by Mr. T. E. Gunn, in December, had the 
remains of a dozen water newts in its stomach . 
Purple Heron. A young female in its first year’s plumage 
was shot in a marsh near Hingham, on or about the 25th of 
September, and is now in Lord Kimberley’s collection. 
Sea Eagles and other Raptorial Migrants. Although one 
or two immature sea eagles ( Haliceetus albicilla ) are observed 
almost every year on some part of our coast, in the autumn 
and winter, the occurrence of not less than seven of these 
noble birds during the last three months of 1875 is worthy of 
record. 
One appeared at Northrepps as early as the 27th of October, 
and two at Herringfleet, near Yarmouth, on the 1st of November,* 
which, being much persecuted by rooks, ascended to a great 
height, and left that neighbourhood. On the 12th of November 
one was seen at Sheringham, and on the 18th one was shot at 
Holkham, and another at Burgh St. Peter on the 27th ; and on 
the 31st of December, just a month later, a fine eagle was seen 
passing, at na great height, over the garden at Northrepps Hall, 
which caused much commotion amongst the domestic fowls. 
Of the Osprey, or fishing eagle, a single bird, which had been 
remarked a day or two before at Burston, near Diss, was killed on 
the 25th of October, at Redgrave Hall, in Suffolk. Roughlegged 
Buzzards also appeared, during the autumn months, in unusual 
numbers, inland and near the sea, both in Norfolk and 
Suffolk. I have heard of seven or eight specimens killed 
between the 20th of October and the 23rd of December at 
Yarmouth, Palling, Haverland, Hemblington and Burlingham, 
all in immature plumage, whilst others were seen elsewhere, 
more particularly in the neighbourhood of Cromer, during 
the same period. A Common Buzzard was trapped at Rackheath 
* These were recorded at the time in ‘Land and Water’ as golden 
eagles, but were no doubt of the more common species, as was a fine young 
bird shot on Fritton lake, in January, 1876, also described in the same 
journal as a golden eagle. 
