one at Potter Heigham, on the 5th of October, is the only one I have heard of being shot for some time." It appears that up to twenty years ago Spotted Crakes were pretty numerous, but since September and October, 1881, when there was a migration, they have been steadily decreasing in East Norfolk (cf. Mr. Bird's notes, Zool. 1890, p. 457). I am glad to see from Mr. Archibald's communication that it is not the same in Lakeland, and have no doubt the presence of so many visitors on our principal Broads helps to drive them away.
The annexed table is an approximate estimate of the decrease in the Norfolk Broads district of six species in the last forty years, drawn up from fairly reliable sources. The Short-eared Owl is included in the table, but what little evidence there is points to its never having been anything more than a scarce breeder among the Broads.
| 1858. | 1868. | 1878. | 1888. | 1898. | |
| Ruff (Machetes pugnax). |
About 14 nests |
About 5 nests |
About 2 nests |
About 1 nest |
0 nests |
| Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus). |
150„? | 100„ | 80„ | 45„ | 33„ |
| Garganey Teal (Querquedula circia). |
20„ | 15„ | 12„ | 7„ | 2„ |
| Montagu's Harrier (Circus cineraceus). |
6„ | 5„ | 3„ | 2„ | 1„ |
| Marsh Harrier (Circus æruginosus). |
5„ | 3„ | 2„ | 0„ | 0„ |
| Short-Eared Owl (Asio accipitrinus). |
5„ | 4„ | 3„ | 2„ | 2„ |
With the extinction of the Ruff, Norfolk loses fifteen breeding species, or, if the Greylag Goose, Savi's Warbler, and Little Bittern are reckoned, eighteen. At the same time it may well be that Savi's Warbler, a bird which leaves its shelter very reluctantly, flying only a short distance, and, dipping down again, to be immediately hidden, is still an annual visitant in very small numbers.
