504 MR. W. G. CLARKE ON THE MERES OF WRETHAM HEATH. 
surrounding it in all but one spot. At night, stock were driven 
across the isthmus and securely folded within a natural inclosure. 
On June 5th, 1882, as Mr. Southwell records, the tumulus-like 
knoll was surrounded by a broad sheet of water. There were great 
quantities of Coot, Grebes, Gulls, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Shovelers, 
and Common Duck, many with broods. It was at that time about 
440 yards long and 275 wide. On June 27th, 1882, there were 
Gad wall and Great Crested Grebes on Langmere, and Mr. J. H. 
Gurney caught a young Teal on the shore. There was a large 
number of ducks’ nests and eggs on the shores of the mere on 
May 29th, 1884. Tufted Ducks and Common Ducks were more 
common than previously, Pochards less so, Teal about as usual. 
Young Gadwalls were seen, and Coots were very common. Mr. C. 
J. Staniland, R.I., visited the mere in July, 1887, and describing 
his visit in the ‘Graphic’ of October 15th, he said of Langmere: — 
“ It is the most impressive of the meres that we saw, lying in the 
midst of a wild scrubby heath, not a sound but the melancholy 
wailing of the Peewit or the scream of a Gull to break the silence ; 
the dozen or so of fir trees on the peninsula standing up in 
solitary grandeur against the sky. The immediate surroundings 
of the mere a dried-up, starved, stalky growth of thistles and what- 
not.” In 1S89 Langmere was well filled with water, and the level 
changed little during 1890. Hundreds of wild fowl, a goodly 
proportion of which were Coots, disported themselves on the mere 
on March 25th, 1893. The water was then extremely high. The 
mere was divided into two large ponds, one round, the other oval, 
on May 26th, 1894, and there were several Coots’ nests near the 
shore. By September 27th of the same year the waters had quite 
disappeared. In 1895 it was partly refilled, and on November 6th 
1896, the volume of water had still further increased. There was 
a flock of about 200 Coots on the mere, and I successfully watched 
their movements by creeping on the knoll and sheltering behind 
the gaunt firs. Langmere was very low in June, 1898, but a dozen 
brace of Wild Duck flew from it ere I could distinguish the species. 
On March 18th, 1899, Langmere was, as Mr. T. Southwell notes, 
only a long splash, and with the other meres was quite dry by 
September, 1901. A visit on May 17th, 1902, proved that in 
spite of various opinions to the contrary, Langmere when full of 
