mr. a. Patterson’s natural history notes from Yarmouth. 179 
fisli were dull brown. That this fish did not swim edgeways up, 
as double Pleuronedidce are supposed to do, is pretty certain, for 
my pick tine went quite through the middle of him. 
On the evening of May 9th saw six Knots on Breydon. This 
species is not so common here now as in Autumn. 
On May 10th a bunch of thirty tired Grey Plovers alighted on 
a mud-flat, and forthwith fell fast asleep, so heavily indeed that, as 
the tide rose, I pushed my punt to within a few feet of them. 
Some were grandly black-breasted ; I sighed for a camera. As the 
water floated them they awoke and left my company. Several other 
Grey Plovers were feeding about on other flats. I also saw some 
Wimbrel, a few Godwits, and some small Waders round about. 
Wind E.S.E. 
My latest record of Hooded Crows is May 11th. Early on that 
morning I observed five on the Ship Drain flat. 
“Joey,” my tame Cormorant, was very restless in May, constantly 
going round his domain in circles, flying from stone to stone, and 
on to his tree stump. The passing over of a Cormorant on the 10th 
unusually agitated him, and for some days he amused himself 
carrying small faggots and such like about in his mandibles, as 
if anxious to start housekeeping. I have since parted with 
him. 
On the 15th it was cold as winter; wind X.E. Many Wimbrel 
wero scattered over the flats. On the lGth I observed them feeding 
in couples. I missed the Swifts, which arrived on the 11th for 
four or live days, during which time the weather was cold. 
Two Shovellers, on May 16th, were feeding among the “ grass ” on 
the flats, probably collecting some species of Mollusc which abounds 
here. I am somewhat of opinion that it is seeking for this same 
Mollusc, tame Pigeons from the town arc so frequently seen in 
the summer months wandering about on the mud-flats. More 
Shovellers on May 26th. 
May 28th. First spring Turnstone seen. June came in wet, 
cold, miserable. On the 4th, twelve Spoonbills were reported to 
have dropped down near the Five-stake Drain. They are stated to 
have stayed there from about 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Wind X.E. 
June 7th. Saw a fine Spoonbill with crest like a mop, near the 
Ship Drain, in company with Black-headed Gulls. It was remark- 
ably wary and restless, flying off on my nearer approach, the Gulls 
VOL. VII. 
N 
