Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/568

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THE ZOOLOGIST.

period, as was the case on Dec. 22nd and 23rd, 1893, when thousands arrived, and the market was glutted. Thousands again coming over, Dec. 12th, 1898. They must have flown westward, as none appeared in the following Saturday's market. Local, "Ring-dow."

C. œnas. Stock-Dove.—F. C. Messrs. Paget in their time stated that it was "rarely seen." Now it arrives occasionally in some numbers in early spring, nesting in the county. Prior to the railway running across the North Denes (up to 1879) numbers came there at "haysel," seeking the juicy seeds of the sea-bindweed (Convolvulus soldanella). April 13th, 1895, saw thirteen in the market; Aug. 29th, 1896, six; Jan. 13th, 1898, ten, which had been baited with maize. Heavy bird in the market, Dec. 9th, 1899, weighing 15½ oz.

Turtur communis. Turtle-Dove.—C. Decidedly on the increase. The Pagets recorded it as "rarely seen"; and Lubbock states that, although formerly but an occasional migrant, it had in 1845 become generally distributed. It nests at Fritton. Formerly often seen on North Denes.

Syrrhaptes paradoxus. Pallas's Sand-Grouse.—A. During the invasion of this species in 1863 (when sixty were killed in Norfolk), several were obtained here. The North Denes and sand-hills were most frequented. The first Norfolk bird was found dead in the surf on May 23rd. A gunner named Nudd, on June 6th, shot a male out of a flock of nine. He mistook them for Plover, but described them to me as "running about like Rats." On May 27th, 1876, a flock was observed on the Winterton sand-hills; and in May, 1888, a second invasion occurred, when over eleven hundred were seen in Norfolk, and one hundred and eighty-six were killed. A male and female were seen on the Denes as late as Dec. 2nd (vide Stevenson's 'Birds of Norfolk,' vol. i. pp. 376–404; also vol. iii. pp. 392–396).

Phasianus colchicus. Pheasant.—C. And likely to remain so under existing conditions. Belated birds have occasionally been seen in the heart of the town.

Perdix cinerea. Common Partridge.—C. The curious chestnut variety, which has received the name of P. montana, has not yet been obtained in the Yarmouth district.

Caccabis rufa. Red-legged Partridge.—C. Before the North