November.
8th.—S. A gamekeeper named Platten, about six o'clock in the evening, shot a large bird which he noticed pass twice under the arch of Rollesby Bridge, where there is a small stream about four inches deep. When taken to Mr. Connop it proved to be an adult Night-Heron † without any occipital plumes, and in somewhat rusty plumage, and was no doubt after fish. It is supposed to have been some days on the broad when shot. Curiously enough, Nov. 8th is exactly the same day on which one was shot at Caister in 1860. It is twelve years since there has been a capture of the Night Heron, the two seen at Beeston being doubtful; and the last two were shot respectively on the sail of a mill and the roof of a house.
11th.—A Shag caught on the beach (Patterson), but it may have been shot at.
15th.—Two Egyptian Geese shot at Morston (Pashley), almost the only Geese killed this winter, except two Pink-footed, which were winged (Pashley), of which one got well and escaped; but the other is in a garden where there are some Bean Geese, with which it will possibly pair.
17th.—Mr. Pashley writes that flocks of Little Auks were seen passing at sea, and that two of them came near enough to strike the rigging of a steamer which a short time before had come ashore. No more that I know of were captured; and, as I was away, I did not note the direction of the wind, but it was immediately after the great meteoric shower. Two were also picked up in October.
December.
8th.—Received from Saham a drake Shoveler † beginning to assume plumage, caught there on the 6th, and a few days afterwards one was taken at Yarmouth (Patterson).
9th.—Received a Storm Petrel † from Winterton Lighthouse, which, I believe, was found on the shore with three Gannets and some Kittiwake Gulls (Patterson).
21st.—Three Barnacle-Geese shot out of a flock of ten at Breydon (Patterson), and about the same time three at Morston and two at Cley (Pashley), where altogether fifteen were seen. The last I remember in that district was a single bird shot from
