on the saltings at Wells, though he was never fortunate enough 
to fall in with it himself One of the gunners there told him 
he had several times got within sixty or seventy yards of it, and 
described it as nearly white, or rather like a “ speckled Mow,” 
and very nearly as big as an Eagle, It is a pity this fine bird was 
not seen by any one who could have put a name to it. 
I will give, in his own words, a striking instance of the boldness 
of the Merlin. “ One day last October, I was on the saltings at 
Wells, and, having seen five Curlew settle in a creek, I endeavoured 
to circumvent the varmint, but could not get near them, as the 
tide was flowing. Just as I liad given them up, a Merlin passed 
by me a few yards off, going like lightning. The moment he 
cleared the edge of the creek, up rose the Curlew, and he had one 
ill a moment. Such a collapse I never saiv • the Curlew simply 
doubled up, and went down all of a heap.” One cannot help 
thinking that the Hawk must have been tempted by the birds 
rising right under him at the moment, for, plucky though he is, 
he would hardly have chosen such a big bird to tackle in open 
weather. Mr. Xapier also tells me that a Bernicle Goose has 
occasionally paired with a Canada Goose on the lake at Holkham. 
This is curious, as there are no tame Bernicles on the lake; and 
the Bernicle is one of the rarest Geese to be met with on the 
coast. 
The Pink-footed Geese, in spite of the mild weather, are, or 
were last week, in large flocks on the marshes near AVells. This 
is unusually late. 
On the 1st of January this year my brother heard and saw a 
Wryneck at Sheringham. He tells me the folloAving story of 
would-be cannibalism on the part of Hooded Crows (C. cornix). 
When in Holland last year, he shot at a Crow sitting on the shore, 
with a rifle. The bird, badly wounded, tried to fly, but lit again 
directly. Presently other Hoodies, scenting blood, arrived on the 
scene, and sat round the wounded bird, evidently intent on 
devouring him, as soon as all power of resistance on his part 
had ceased. When the poor bird apparently could no longer 
endure the sight of its would-be devourers, it attempted to fly 
