656 
president’s address. 
seems to suggest that they breed during the winter, though 
this is contrary to received ideas ; and Short-tailed Voles 
and Long-tailed Field Mice are abundant, as are also 
Hedgehogs, Stoats (or Lobsters), and Weasels, or Mouse- 
hunters ; but though I had two reports of Polecats being 
killed last year in the neighbourhood, a promised gratuity 
did not bring their dead bodies to me, and I believe the species 
to be locally extinct. 
The rarest bird that 1 have heard of in connection with 
Ruston is a brown variety of the Common Snipe, shot by 
Mr. Ash Rudd. 
The same gentleman had a good adult male Pi^d Flycatcher, 
which was killed by a Cat in his garden. On July 27th,. 1889, 
I saw an almost white Redshank on Ruston Holmes. 
Ruston common is a favourite haunt of the Spotted Rail, 
seldom an autumn passes without one being killed here ; 
but they have not bred in the vicinity, to my knowledge, 
since 1889. 
Ring Ouzels appear now and then in spring and autumn. 
Green Woodpeckers seem to have increased much in numbers 
during the past fifteen years, and from August onwards may 
often be seen searching the drier parts of the common for 
Ants’ nests. Gaunt, grey Herons, too, may frequently be 
flushed from the marsh drains. Their nearest breeding 
places are Catfield Hall and Horning Grove, one nest each, 
Rollesby two or three nests, whilst at Gunton and Reedham 
there are old and well established heronries. 
The unexpected happens as often in sport and nature- 
study as in the more serious affairs of life. The glorious 
uncertainty of what one may see in a country ramble adds 
zest to the search. Plant life, of course, is practically still 
life — a rare plant is for the time being immovable, and with 
the help of a local floral schedule, a botanist may pre- 
determine fairly well as to what species of wild flow'ers he is 
likely to come across in any given district, but with the 
