82 
SIR THOMAS BROWNE AS A NATURALIST. 
Jackdaw. 
Balia, or Rail. Land-rail. 
Quail. “No small number.” Though still occasionally seen, 
not nearly so common as formerly. 
“ Whinne-bird.” “Lesser than a 'Wren.” Also, less than the 
Certhia, or oxeye-creeper. In a letter to Dr. Merrett, he speaks of 
the “shining yellow spot on the back of the head [of the Whin- 
Turd] is scarce to bee well imitated by a pensill.” May we presume 
this to be the Golden-crested Wren 1 
Garnilus argentoratensis. The Roller. This is the first 
record in Norfolk of this extremely rare visitant (Stevenson). 
Chipper, or Betulce carptor. “ Cropping the first sprouting of 
the Birch trees, and comes early in the spring.” Cheeper is 
a popular name for the Meadow Pipit, or Titlark. Mr. Southwell 
suggests the Siskin. 
Partridge. “Though there bee here very great store of 
Partridges, yet the French Red-legged Partridge is not to bee met 
with.” The introduction of the last-named species into the 
Eastern Counties dates from about 1770 (Stevenson). 
One is, perhaps, surprised to find the Bearded Titmouse 
omitted from the “Account of Birds found in Norfolk,” but 
Mr. J. H. Gurney in his paper on “ The Bearded Titmouse ’’ 
(Trans. Norfolk and Norwich Nat. Soc. vol. vi. p. 429) states that 
it was discovered by Browne, who through Ray brought it to notice 
in 1674. Neither Owls, nor the Nightingale, are alluded to as 
occurring in Norfolk. 
In the letters to Dr. Merrett, we also find mentioned the Hobby, 
the Merlin, the former coming in the spring, the latter in the 
autumn. Also Garrulus boliemicus, the Waxwing. 
Fishes. 
In the “ Account of Fishes, &c., found in Norfolk and on the 
Coast,” many animals besides fishes are mentioned. Confining our 
attention first to the fishes, we find the following : — 
Pristis serra* or Saw-fish. Dr. Lowe remarks that the 
occurrence of this species in Norfolk rests solely on Sir T. Browne’s 
*With his usual care for accuracy, he adds “comonly mistaken for a 
Sword-fish, and answers the figure in Rondeletius.” 
