FOUND IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THETFORD. 
301 
houses. Within the radius there are twenty-one villages, and the 
borough of Thetford, with a total population of 10,409 (Thetford, 
4247 ; villages, 6222) ; whilst in a district of like size around 
llarleston, Norfolk, there are fifty-five villages, with a population 
of 23,000 (llarleston 1500). Heathland, covered with bracken, 
gorse, and heather; huge fir plantations and “belts”; lonely meres 
and lakes ; sinuous streams with a marshy borderland ; woods and 
meadows, with a certain amount of arable land — of such does 
Breckland consist. There are twenty large heaths within the 
district, besides many others of less area, with six parks and parts 
of three others. Nine landowners own sixteen complete parishes, 
and share the remaining six with nine others. The preservation 
of game is too often their sole object. The rivers, Little Ouse and 
Thet, which have their confluence in the heart of Thetford, together 
with a tributary of the former entering near Euston, and flowing 
through Sapiston and Fakenham, are the principal streams. The 
“meres,” however, which vary from about twenty rods to fifty 
acres in extent, have a far greater attraction for waterfowl, probably 
on account of their extreme solitude. These curious sheets of water 
are chiefly found at Wretham, north of Thetford, and are held by 
geologists to have been formed by the glacial erosion of the beds 
above the Chalk. 
The Mammals of the district number 25, of which 13 are classed 
as common, 5 as rather rare, 7 as rare. Instances are given of the 
recent occurrence of the Polecat and Badger, and also of a Norfolk 
specimen of the Pine Marten. 
There are no herds of Fallow Deer in the district now, the nearest 
being those at Ampton and at Didlington. At the latter place there 
are also some Red Peer ( Ci rrus elaphus). A herd was kept in 
Euston Park until 1845 — 0. The poet Bloomfield mentions this 
herd in his poem, “ The Fakenham Ghost.” 
“ The dappled herd of grazing deer. 
That sought the shades by day, 
Now started from her path with fear. 
And gave the stranger way.” 
Shad well Park also contained a herd until about 1880, which at 
one time contained over 100 head. 
Reptiles and Amphibians number 11 ; two of which, however, 
are doubtful, 4 are common, 2 rather rare, and 3 rare. 184 species 
of Birds have occurred in the district, and 4 which must be 
