84. 
before the bird itself was seen, and later still, Mr. Gayford observed 
a very large bird, as he describes it, “ towering high in the air like 
a very big hawk.” The mystery was solved, horvever, on the 30th 
of August, when a crane was seen by Mr. Gayford himself about 
a hundred yards from a flock of sheep, and some two hundred 
yards from the shepherd’s “page ” who -was tending the sheep feeding 
on a heath of about three hundred acres, with other large heaths 
and about two hundred acres of arable land adjoining. On that 
day Mr. Gayford spent several hours on horseback trying to get 
within shot of it, but learning from the “page” that early in the 
morning it had been at the sheep-fold and paid little attention to 
him, he left his gun with the head shepherd, who shot the bird 
on the folloAving Monday, the 1st of September. Mr. Newby, of 
Thetford, who stuffed it, informs me it was a male in immature 
plumage, and weighed ten poimds thirteen ounces. It is now 
preserved at Wretham Hall, Avith a Avhite stork shot by Mr. Gay- 
ford near the same spot some thirty-five years ago. 
Hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgaris.) The Eev. H. T. Frere 
informs me that a flock of some fifty haAvfinches appeared, in 
November, in the same garden at Diss Avhere such numbers Avere 
shot last Avinter. The attraction is no doubt the yew-berries, as 
proved by dissection last year ; but as no specimens have been 
received by our bird stuffers from any other localities, I am inclined 
to think these birds, notAvithstanding their persecution, AA-ere all 
reared in that neighbourhood. One or two pairs are said to have 
nested in that garden in the summer; they have also bred in 
several other parts of Norfolk this year. 
Green Sandpiper (Totanus ochropus.) This species made 
its appearance in unusual numbers during the months of August 
and September, both on Breydon and the surrounding marshes, 
and in most of its usual haunts throughout the county. 
Mealy Bedpole (Linota canescens.) This uncertain winter 
visitant, so scarce last year, Avas extremely abundant in November 
and December of this mild season. Many have been netted by 
the birdcatchers quite close to the city, Avhere they frequent the 
alder trees by the river. 
Swallows and Martins. The late stay of sAvallow's and martins. 
