Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/184

152 of the Red Deer and of the now extinct Long-faced Ox. Near the centre was a circular bank of fine white earth, twenty or thirty feet across and about four feet in height. Not far from its inner circumference was a hole deeper than the rest of the mere, piled and evidently once wattled. Here, with the remains of a wall built of flints packed together with marl, were found bones and portions of a rudely-constructed ladder. In short, here were contained the remains of a lake-dwelling. Part of another lake-dwelling with posts of oak wood shaped and pointed by man was found in the mud of Wretham Great Mere in the year 1856. These discoveries have been scientifically described by Professor A. Newton and Sir C. Bunbury.

These singular meres of Wretham are, however, chiefly memorable at the present day from the fact that here breed no fewer than seven species of Wild Duck, several of them extremely rare as nesting birds in the British Isles. Many other rare birds have likewise been procured here at various times. Thirteen Short-eared Owls were flushed from one pine tree at Wretham about twelve years ago. Ten of them were shot. This was likewise the fate of a beautiful White-tailed Eagle shot on the decoy in 1892, and now preserved at Wretham Hall. Specimens have likewise been procured here of the Osprey, Cormorant, White Stork, and Crane. The last-named was shot in September, 1873, and is now in the Norwich Museum. The Bean Goose and the Pink-footed Bean Goose frequent the open country about Wretham. Mr. A.W. Partridge saw a flock of two hundred to two hundred and fifty of the latter on a field of young rye. A Grey Phalarope (one of four) was shot on a pond near Fowlmere in 1846. Pintail and Wigeon are winter visitors to the meres, the latter in fairly large numbers. The list of rarities that have here met their doom likewise includes specimens of the Scaup Duck, Goldeneye, Smew, and Goosander. Moorhens are not uncommon, and Coots abound, their bald patches being noticeable in any "bunch" of wildfowl. The Great Crested Grebe and the Little Grebe here find a congenial home; the sprightly form of the irrepressible "Dabchick" would be particularly missed. How often have I found his oddly-constructed nest a few yards from the shore with the dirty oval eggs covered over with the weeds of which the nest is composed.