SIR THOMAS BROWNE AS A NATURALIST. 
81 
Green Woodpecker. 
Red Woodpecker. Probably Great Spotted Wood pecker. 
Picus leucomelanus. Probably Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. 
The hardness of the bill and skull, and the curious tongue of the 
Woodpeckers are alluded to. 
Picus einereus. Nuthatch. 
Black Heron. Browne’s description of this bird, according to 
Stevenson, applies most nearly to the Purple Heron, an occasional 
visitor to this county, but the passage does not occur in the body 
of the MS. It is evidently a subsequent addition, and consists 
of a minute description of a bird, but there is nothing to indicate 
that it lias reference to any local species. 
Hobby-bird. From the description, evidently the Wryneck. 
When the Hobby became scarce this bird was associated with 
another spring migrant, and became known as the “Cuckoo’s 
Mate.” “ Maruellously subiet to the vertigo.” 
Upupa, or Hoope-bird. Hoopoe. 
Rinqlestones. Ringed Plover. The derivation of Kinglestones 
is open to conjecture ; but Professor Skeat thinks it may refer to 
the bird’s habit of “ranging” (an old form of arranging) the 
stones for its nest” (Newton). Browne stated that he had been 
informed that the eggs were set upright in the sand or shingle, like 
eggs in salt. Stevenson thinks he was not far wrong in this, 
though Mr. Southwell’s observations do not support it. 
Arcuata or Curlew. Curlew. 
Stone-curlew. “ Breeds about Thetford.” This bird seems 
to have been first made known to British ornithologists by 
Browne, who about the year 1G74 forwarded a drawing of it to the 
celebrated John Ray, taken from a specimen killed near Thetford 
(Stevenson). 
Avoseta, called a Shoeing-horn. Avocet. 
Lorias or Curvivostra. Crossbill. 
Coccothraustes. A kind of, called a Coble-bird, Hawfinch or 
Grosbeak. 
Bird-catcher. A kind of Lanins. Probably the Red-backed 
Shrike. 
Avis trogloditicn , or Chock. Wheatear (Stevenson). 
Raven. “ Corvus maior.’’ “ In good plentie about the citty, 
well makes so few kites to bee seen hereabouts.” Never seen now 
in Norfolk. G 
