president’s address. 
529 
remains of its vanished fauna. One little spot, however, at Wicken, 
in Cambridgeshire, no doubt fairly represents one of the aspects of 
the Fen before modern draining and cultivation had destroyed for 
ever its former characteristics ; here unbroken tracts of Sedge 
( Gladium raariscus) clothe the wet soil, and the dead level is only 
relieved by an occasional clump of dwarf Sallows ; the effect, 
however, is destroyed even here by the “loads,” which convey the 
water to the draining mill, the tall chimney of which may be seen 
in the distance. 
The Fauna and Flora of this district must have been exceptionally 
interesting; of the latter, doubtless, a fairly accurate conception can 
be formed, but of the former we have few indications. Whether 
the Crane ever bred in the Norfolk Fens in historic times is uncer- 
tain, but seems probable,* it appears, however, to have been by 
no means a rare species, t I think there can be no doubt the 
Grey-lag Gooso was formerly a regular breeder in this county, as 
well as in the Fens of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, J but when 
we come to the Bittern, there is no doubt on the subject — till their 
haunts were destroyed they were extremely plentiful, especially 
about Poppelot, but now this characteristic denizen of the Fens 
no longer 
“Undulates her note 
Like a deep-mouthed bassoon.” 
Its former haunts know it no more — but a man from that neighbour- 
hood with whom Professor Newton conversed in 1853, assured 
him that his uncle had killed live Bitterns in one day’s shooting, 
and that his grandfather used to have one roasted every Sunday 
for dinner. From the same source Professor Newton learned that 
the Herons, now nesting at Didlington, formerly resorted to the 
Sallow bushes and Sedges in Hockwold and Feltwell Fens for that 
* Seo ‘ Birds of Norfolk,’ vol. ii. p. 125. 
f The Le Stranges of Hunstanton, entertaining the prior of Coxford, 
Sir Henry Sharbourne and others in the year 1520, dined off a Crane, six 
1 Movers, and a brace of Babbits. This bird is mentioned in the * Household 
Book ’ five times, and is valued at precisely the same sum as the Curlew, varying 
from 4d. to 6d. 
+ Op. cit. vol. iii. p. 3. 
