NOTES FROM YARMOUTH. 
605 
unusually early this year, the earliest for such an event that 
has occurred for about eighteen years. “ Brown Shrimps 0 
(Crangon vulgaris) have been as phenomenally scarce. 
I suggested to these men that the slightly higher temperature 
of the water was the cause of their early inshoring, in which 
theory they acquiesced. The “Pinks” were very small, not 
half grown in fact, but an immense proportion were heavy in 
berry at the latter part of February. 
Snipe at the beginning of January (190 7) were exceedingly 
poor, indeed they were bunches of bone and feathers, owing 
to the protracted winterly weather of the preceding December 
making food all too scarce. 
January 28th. Albinos among Black Rats (Mus raltus) are 
exceedingly rare ; the only one that ever came to my notice 
was killed on this date by a cat in a row on the South Quay. 
But for the cat’s appetite having been already appeased by 
devouring a couple which were of the normal colour, that 
she had also captured, this unique example would have been 
spoiled. She gave it up without protest after having killed 
it. The large ears, and other characteristics, save colour 
alone, were at once apparent : it had pink eyes, the fur was 
of a pale bluish white, and the slender tail a trifle shorter than 
is usual in examples of the same size. Black Rats appear to 
me of late to have been somewhat on the decrease ; they are 
most industriously trapped by irate householders, and cats 
swarm in such numbers that the wonder is any rats survive 
at all. 
January 30th. A Conger measuring 6 ft. 8i ins., and weigh- 
ing 53 lbs., was brought into Yarmouth, from Southwold 
Bay. 
An attempt was made openly to introduce Dogfishes in 
the town as food in January ; an itinerant fish-seller carting 
them round with his other wares as an article of food. The 
experiment was not a success, and I question whether, in this 
locality at least, they will ever become popular. 
At the end of January a fine male Smew ( Mergus albcllus) 
was shot on Breydon. 
On February 6th a small Mackerel was seen to be in 
