390 MR. CLARKE ON NATURAL HISTORY OF THETFORD DISTRICT. 
Thetford the last week in July. 1904, and a young bird on 
August 29th, 1905. There thus seems to be ample evidence 
of the breeding of this species in the district. 
A young Bittern was killed by a warrener’s dog at Shadwell 
in 1903, and early in January, 1906, a fine male was killed 
also by a dog, near the town of Thetford. For two years of 
the decade the heathland meres north of Thetfoi'd were quite 
dry, and only in the summer of 1904 and the spring of 1906 
could they be fairly described as full. As a consequence 
the rare species of Wild Duck that resorted thither for nesting 
purposes had to seek fresh quarters. Some of them un- 
doubtedly went to the Wretham Park Meres, and Thompson 
and Stanford Waters, while others frequented the river Little 
Ouse both above and below Thetford. Below the town, 
owing to the practical lapse of the navigation and the growing- 
up of the river, Wild-fowl have greatly increased in numbers. 
On September 6th, 1900, I counted over 200 Ducks, chiefly in 
broods, in less than a mile between the second and third 
staunches. These were chiefly Mallard, which are also fairly 
common on the meres, one on Langmere on August 27th, 
1904, being pure white. On the same date there were about 
200 Ducks on Langmere, and 100 birds, chiefly Coots, on 
Fowlmere ; on November 5th, 1904, there were about 350 Ducks 
on Langmere. While the big flocks are largely composed of 
Mallard, there are generally a fair number of Gadwall included, 
and a brood or two of Garganey, which generally keep distinct, 
while Tufted Duck occasionally occur. On November 5th, 
1904, I counted nine Swans on Fowlmere, on March 9th, 1905, 
twenty-one, and on April 23rd, nine. These were thought 
to be Whoopers by the neighbouring farmer, but none were 
shot. Early in the spring of 1903 there were quite 150 
Gadwall on the river at Euston ; in previous years the numbers 
had been but eight or ten. About half a dozen pairs stayed 
to nest, the eggs being seen. On April 13th, 1906, I got 
quite close to a flock of fifteen Common Sheld-duck on Lang- 
mere. There was a Shoveller’s nest at Lynford in 1900, and 
a male and female Tufted Duck were shot at Santon Downham 
in 1902. On February 17th, 1906, a female Goosander was 
shot at Wretham. 
