758 mr. a. h. Patterson’s natural history 
Between two and three hundred Curlews came to Breydon 
second week in August. On the 15th, when strolling by the 
sea, I observed a Pomatorhine Skua chasing some Black- 
headed Gulls. 
Teal turned up in more than their usual numbers in the 
middle of August ; this would seem to have been a species 
greatly on the decrease in recent years. 
Terns were remarkably scarce in the neighbourhood in 
August ; so was the “ Herring-syle ” ; and whereas in August, 
1907, both were extremely abundant on Breydon, it is safe 
to conjecture that the visits of the one depend upon that of 
the other. I saw a dozen, undoubtedly Common Terns on 
the 25th. 
September 2nd. Twice I sailed past stake No. 16 on 
Breydon, on top of which sat a Sandwich Tern ( Sterna cantiaca) 
I could have reached it with an oar, and it only lazily flew 
away on my clapping my hands when within a boat’s length of 
it. It was subsequently shot, as was a Sabine’s Gull ( Xema 
sabinii), which, however, I did not see. 
On September 4th a double Flounder, nearly black on both 
sides, was brought me. Length 5J inches ; the “ travelling ” 
eye rested in a notch at the side of the head. 
Knots, Curlews, Godwits, Redshanks, Whimbrel and small 
waders were very numerous on Breydon during the first week 
in September. Every lout who carried a gun obtained his 
share of Godwits, an incursion of which at this time is a rare 
circumstance. 
Three Swifts remained here as late as September gth ; 
they passed over my head in the heart of the town in a half 
gale of wind, on this date. 
September 13th. Seventy Curlews came in from due E. 
in the evening. 
During the early part of September the belated Terns 
swarmed on Breydon, where a pitiless slaughter took place, 
and for many days the wingsjand bony remnants of these 
poor little creatures were among the flotsam at the edge of 
the walls, bearing witness to heartless and useless destruction, 
the undertaker’s work being done by the vigilant wall-rats. 
