515 
of hollow trees. After we had had them a .short time they had a 
battle with a wild Wood Pigoon through the bars of their respec- 
tive cages. The pugnacity conserpient on the amatory season led 
to the attack I suppose ; the result was sad loss of plumage. 
i'he first Woodcock I heard of was at Shemngham, on Septem- 
ber Gth, and followed by extraordinarily few others; for, with the 
exception of eight at Pclthorpe, and twelve at Sandringham, I did 
not hear of any day which could be called even good until the middle 
of December, when on the 13th I saw about thiify at Hemiistead. 
In the beginning of January we had another flight.* Mr. G. Smith 
tells me that on the 9th of November a AVoodcock was seen to 
come off the sea, and strike slightly the window of a house in 
Aiaimouth, after which it flew round the corner of the house, and 
was lost among some small gardens. Some reflection on the gla.ss 
may have been the cause, as Ducks have more than once in foggy 
weather been known to mistake skylights for pond.s. 
On November 13th a I\cd-necked I’halarojio paid us a visit, 
choosing the most public ponds it could find by the road, for the 
space of four day.s, when it was shot in the adjoining parish of 
Ihnighton, and proved a female— I think a.lult ; for on comparing 
it with seven others (all Norfolk killed), I find that two of then” 
have buff stripes on the back, and sides of brea.st grey. These I 
take to bo young birds, and the others, which lack these characters, 
to be old ones. I learn from Mr. C. Ik AVhitty that two more 
were shot between Lynn and Sutton Bridge, on the last day or two 
of October. I think this bird has occurred more times in Norfolk 
than the Grey Phalarope, though the reverse is the case in most 
counties, particularly in the south of England. 
On January 22nd, hearing from the Pev. II. H. Lubbock that 
there were Goosanders on Gunton lakes I went over, and was 
much pleased at getting a view of thirteen, all females,' or young 
males. However, ten days later the number had increased to 
sixteen, among which I Avas told were four old males. On the 
16th it had drojiped to eleven. Gunton lakes have been known as a 
Avinter resort of the Goosander— Avhich, by the ivay, is decidedly a 
commoner bird in Norfolk than the Merganser — for the last sixty 
* It is a well-known fact on our coast that the autumn migration of several 
species of birds goes on until long after Christmas. 
