6o6 mr. a. h. Patterson’s natural history 
difficulties at the entrance of the sewage-tainted Bure. 
Noticing its erratic movements, an interested person with 
very little difficulty seized it by hand. It measured 12 inches 
in length. 
February 9th. It is very probable that a freshly taken 
Torpedo Ray {Torpedo vulgaris ) which I purchased off a fish- 
hawker, had been captured in our local waters. Its colours 
were yet unimpaired, and it certainly could not have been 
out of the water twelve hours. I tried whether it were possible 
to be “ shocked ” by it, but it probably loses its electrical 
properties at death. This is not the case with Jelly Fishes 
which retain their stinging powers long after they are dead. 
From the same man I obtained a Starry Ray {Rata radiata), 
about the size of an ordinary dinner plate on the 20th. This 
example was also in a fresh condition ; and from its mouth 
I pulled out a Skulpin (Callionymus lyra). 
February 14th. I was shown a Pink-footed Goose (A user 
brachyrhyncus ) shot at Buckenham. It was remarkable for 
its unusually small size. 
On March 3rd, amongst a consignment of Sprats brought 
over from Lowestoft to Yarmouth, were three adult examples 
of the Four-horned Cottus {Coitus quadricornis ) ; and the pur- 
chaser knowing my interest in strange fishes kindly forwarded 
them to my home. I was delighted to immediately identify 
them as belonging to the above species, having for a number 
of; years hoped to meet with it, but without avail. They 
measured 8J inches in length, and had been captured just 
south of Lowestoft ; their love of the luscious Sprat was their 
own undoing. The locally- taken example has already been 
referred to. With the Cottus, from Lowestoft, came five 
Broad-nosed Pipe-fishes {Siphonostoma typhlc). 
March 4th. A fine example of the Ballan Wrasse {Labrus 
maculatus) 3-J lbs. in weight brought in. 
March 9th. Wigeon numerous on Breydon. 
March 30th. A very beautiful Smeared Dab {Pleuronectes 
microcephalus ) came to hand. The upper surface was of the 
normal colour, but the surrounding fins were perfectly white. 
In this species variations seldom occur ; the Turbot, Brill, 
