I to 
grounds near Yarmouth, and work back again, late in the day, to 
roost on the extensive sand-hills about Llakeney and Cley. 
Mayes tells me that about the month of October, the fishermen 
see Gulls by hundreds, day after day, flying in the direction of 
Blakeney, late in the afternoon, where he has seen them congregated 
in great numbers ; but, as at that season they never see them going 
in the other direction in the morning, he supposes they must pass 
along the coast earlier than even the fishermen are about at that 
time of the year. Early in May he had seen Guillemots out at sea, 
off the Cromer lighthouse, passing northwards, no doubt to their 
breeding station at Elamborough, from whence, in the breeding 
season, as the fishermen assert, they pass regularly for food down 
to Yarmouth Eoads. At different times, when fishing out at sea, 
ho has seen various species of birds, coming over the sea, and 
making direct for land, more or less exhausted ; amongst which he 
mentioned Starlings, Rooks, Sparrows (Tree Sparrows, probably). 
Chaffinches, Swallows, and Martins, and the tiny Gold-crested 
Wren. Rooks he had seen settle on the waves, as if to refresh 
themselves, as is frequently the case with the Swallows, dropping 
their feet into the -water, and raising their wings at the same time, 
lie has seen French Partridges making for land, but never knew 
an English Partridge in flight over the water. 
One morning a small flock of the Common Gull, and on another, 
of Black-headed Gulls, all birds of the previous year, were hovering 
over and settling on the waves, within gun-shot of the beach, 
attracted, no doubt, by the fish-offal throv.ui overboard by the 
fishermen before coming ashore ; and I noticed, also, that a few old 
Rooks on the Runton beach came regularly to feed on the same 
diet, when washed up by the tide. This is a common habit with 
them in the autumn and winter, in company with the Grey-back 
Crows ; but I had never noticed it before in the nesting season. 
The cold wind off the sea, for a few days after the arrival of 
Swifts on the 13th, delayed nesting operations; and, by day, 
scarcely a bird was seen over the sands, or about the Church ; b\it 
by 6 p.m. some six or eight pairs were clamorous round the tower, 
screaming and chasing each other in their flight, before roosting. 
These, I imagine, had been seeking their insect-food for hours 
in more sheltered spots inland, or in flights over the sand-hills 
and salt-marshes to the north of Cromer. 
