MK. \V. G. CLAHKE ON BIRD-LIFE OF THE MERES. 
747 
IX. 
BIRD-LIFE OF THE MERES. 
By W. G. Clarke. 
Read 2 yd February, 1909. 
On May 23rd, 190S, four members of this Society went by 
train from Norwich Thorpe to Roudham Junction, thence 
walked over the heathland to the meres of Wretham Heath — 
Ringmere, Langmere, Home Mere, Fowlmere and the Devil’s 
Punch Bowl — and subsequently to Thetford. The botanical 
notes made by Messrs. W. H. Burrell and E. Peake were 
certainly of interest ; I am privileged to exhibit to-night 
some of the photographic work of Messrs. Peake and G. Rye ; 
and will confine myself to the bird-life of the meres, including 
also other of my notes made in the 36 visits I have paid to 
them during the past six years. 
Strange as it may seem. Mallard are rarely met with on the 
meres, but on this occasion there was a pair on Ringmere. 
and on the north-west bank, among the bracken, a nest which 
had contained seven eggs : these, however, had been kicked 
out and were lying around. On Langmere there was also 
a pair which flew up. circled round and came quite close over 
11s as though to satisfy their curiosity, a frequent habit with 
ducks, though apparently less so with Mallard and Tufted 
Duck than with others. On both meres the Mallard were 
the first to take alarm. A company of ducks which all 
seemed to be Mallard, and which was probably under-estimated 
at 200, rose from Langmere on August 27th. 1904. They 
divided into three flocks, circled round the mere once, and 
then splashed into the water. At our nearer approach they 
again arose, divided into three flocks, flew round for some 
