MR. CLARKE ON NATURAL HISTORY OF THETFORD DISTRICT. JQI 
There are still some Black Grouse on Thetford Warren — 
whether survivors of those turned out in 1885 I am not in 
a position to say — and a few broods are hatched each year. 
A grey hen was caught at Illington in 1899. In the ‘Birds 
of Norfolk ’ it is stated that the Corncrake does not seem to 
breed in the “ breck ” district, but young hens were killed 
at Euston in 1901, Illington in 1902, and Thetford in 1903, 
while the characteristic note was heard near Fakenham church 
on May 27th, 1898, by the Rev. R. B. Caton, by three persons 
near Thetford Castle Hill on April 16th. 1897. and by myself 
near Thetford railway station on April 23rd, 1897. 
During the decade under notice, an attempt was made to 
acclimatise the Great Bustard, and sixteen birds were imported 
in 1900. They remained at Elveden till June 1901, when all 
but four or five took their departure and two were almost 
immediately shot at Finningham. In October there were 
still two pairs left wandering about the district, and by July. 
1903, only a single pair remained. Both this year anti 1902 
a nest was made in the same field in which the last indigenous 
Great Bustard bred, but the eggs laid on both occasions were 
unincubated. The experiment thus ended disastrously. 
Stone Curlews certainly seem on the increase in the district. 
On September 3rd, 1897, I received two nestlings from Santon. 
These I forwarded to Mr. T. Southwell, F.Z.S., who wrote 
that the younger might be any age from one to three or four 
days, and the larger a week old at least. They are now in 
Norwich Castle-Museum. Between February 17th and 24th. 
1900, six were seen by Mrs. R. B. Caton flying across Euston 
Park, and eight were noticed at Cranwich on November 28th. 
1900. Ringed Plovers also, have at least maintained their 
numbers. In addition to the Breckland breeding-places 
previously recorded (‘ Zoologist,’ Nov. 1897), they have 
also nested in recent years on Santon Square. Santon Breck ; 
the Spectacle Hangers, Santon Downham ; Cranberry. Great 
Hockham ; and a few have been noticed on the sandv heaths 
near Icklingham. 
There was at least one Woodcock’s nest in Fakenham Wood 
in 1903, for the young birds were seen in Euston Park. On 
