while a Purple Heron was reported as having been seen at Yarmouth; doubtful!
18th.—S. The Avocet still on Breydon.
September.
The first fortnight of September was marked by a considerable passage of Blue-throated Warblers, extending from Wells to Horsey, where Mr. Bird notes one on the 12th. This was immediately followed by a movement of Siskins and Redstarts, Mr. Bird remarking that he never remembered seeing so many of the latter: and I see from 'The Zoologist' (1901, pp. 425, 426) that the excess of Siskins was not confined to Norfolk. In Scotland the late Rev. H.A. Macpherson saw an immense flock of them ('Scottish Nat. Hist.' p. 53), and the migration reached Orkney Islands. It would be interesting to know if Heligoland shared in this migration, as it did in October, 1881. Mr. B. Dye writes that many Siskins were caught at Yarmouth, and the following is from Mr. Patterson:—"During the influx of Siskins, Mr. Odder, a local birdcatcher, observed an old lettuce-bed smothered with them. Borrowing a call-bird, he took his nets there next morning, and by breakfast-time had netted 90, and by noon had 140."
On the 2nd Mr. Roberts received a Roller† to preserve, but the carrier who brought it to Norwich declined to say where it was shot; and later on the same secrecy was maintained about a Fork-tailed Petrel.† Happily the blood of only a single Hoopoe has stained the ground this year; this bird has become nearly as rare in Norfolk as the Rose Pastor, which thirty years ago was not a very exceptional visitor.
12th.—A Solitary Snipe shot on Blakeney sand-hills by Mr. T.E. Gunn. I do not know if there is any significance in the fact that I saw some in Copenhagen on the same day at a poulterer's.
25th.—A grey Cuckoo seen at Potter Heigham by Mr. Bird, who was within twenty yards of it; very late for an adult.
30th.—About this date a Honey Buzzard† was shot at Southrepps (Gunn), and another,† attempting to alight on the lee-rigging of a smack, fell back into the sea, and was captured alive. On being brought into Yarmouth, it was immediately announced
