Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/144

112 with a guard of about a hundred large Gulls on the uncovered mud, head to wind, the Gulls sitting, the Spoonbill standing with beak snugly tucked away into its scapular feathers. It permitted an approach to within seventy yards, and then flew, stretching its legs out behind with its long neck extended in front. The watcher says it remained on Breydon Broad until the 31st, when for security he drove it away, but in a few days, apparently liking its old quarters, it returned with two companions. On the north or Norfolk side of the broad the close time ends on Aug. 1st, but on the Suffolk side it lasts till the end of the month, so there a Spoonbill is, or ought to be, safe for some time.

20th.—A young Short-eared Owl shot at Horning, which had not quite lost the down (T. Southwell)—perhaps from the nest which was reported in May at Hickling.

21st.—A Green-backed Porphyrio, female, shot at Barton Broad (T.E. Gunn).

31st.—Spoonbill seen on Breydon (Patterson).

3rd.—Another Porphyrio at Barton, as I am informed by Mr. W. Lowne, who received it, and perceived signs of confinement, of which more presently.

13th.—A Great Skua seen at Cley by Mr. Pashley, who also reported some Manx Shearwaters, and two young Buffon's Skuas.

18th.—Spoonbill seen at Cley by Mr. Barclay, and about this time one at Kessingland (T. Southwell). Pectoral Sandpiper shot on Breydon (Zool. ante, p. 25).

27th.—An adult female Barred Warbler shot by the Rev. Henry Slater as it dodged out of a bush on one of the sandhills on our coast ('Ibis,' 1898, p. 148). There can be little doubt that this is a species which is moving westward, and will become commoner.

30th.—A Richardson's Skua with white carpal joints and edgings to the elbow of the wing, the chin and patch on the belly also white, brought to Mr. Pashley. Probably the first of this albinic variety which has been obtained in Norfolk—an interesting bird wherever killed.