120 
XII. 
ORXITHOLOGICAL NOTES FOE 1878. 
(Supplementary to those published in last year’s ‘Transactions.’) 
By Henry Stevenson, E.L.S., V.P. 
Read ^th April, 1880. 
Exceptional seasons demand exceptional treatment, and as it is 
not always possible, Avithin a limited period, to obtain all the 
information required, I must ask permission to follow iqi my 
“ Notes” of last year Avitii a summary of such facts as have since 
come to my knowledge through many reliable correspondents, or 
have been picked up in friendly conversation, relative to the 
combined effect of flood and frost ujion resident and migratory 
birds alike, in the first half of the Avinter of 1878-79. It Avill be 
remembered that the disastrous floods AAdiicli in NoA'^ember, 1878, 
reached their greatest height on the 19th and 20th of that month, 
and not only in and around this city, but almost throughout the 
countj'’, laid the loAV-lying lands and marshes under Avater, Avero 
succeeded about the third Aveek in December by frosts of unusual 
severity. The Avide extent of country still submerged became one 
sheet of ice, and not only the larger Broads but parts even of tlie 
navigable rivers Avere “laid” across, and afforded excellent 
skating. 
The shore-gunners had noAv the best of it, for Avbether flooded 
or frozen out, the feathered denizens of the broads and surrounding 
marshes had pretty Avell disappeared, excejiting the Ducks, AAdiich 
in large numbers sat huddled up upon the ice in the daytime, far 
out of gun-shot, though at “ flight” time exposed to a sharp fusillade 
as they sought their nocturnal feeding-grounds. Coots had gone 
to the salt marshes j AVaterhens dispersed over the uplands to turn 
up, here and there, in the most unlikely localities ; Avhilst those too 
