BIRDS March ; but a few pairs have been known to remain and breed in the county. 107. Rook. Corvus frugiUgus, Linn. This is an abundant resident and a regular autumn visitor, generally arriving by daylight. The strangers depart in March ; at all times highly gregarious. 108. Sky-Lark. Alauda arvemis, Linn. Always a common bird, but receives large accessions to its numbers in autumn. 109. Wood-Lark. Alauda arborea, Linn. This is not an uncommon bird in some localities in summer, chiefly in south-west Norfolk ; it also sometimes occurs as a winter visitor. 1 1 0. Short-toed Lark. Alauda brachydactyla, Leisler. A short-toed lark is said to have been shot on November 7th, 1889, on the Breydon Marshes, near Yarmouth {Zoologist, 1890, p. 394]- 111. Shore-Lark. Otocorys alpestris (Linn.). The shore-lark is one of those species which appear to be extending their range to the westward. It was a few years ago re- garded as a rare bird here, but now occurs regularly every autumn, sometimes in con- siderable numbers. 112. Swift. Cypselus apus {Lmn.). The swift is a numerous summer visitor, considerable numbers nest in the chalk cliffs at Hunstanton. 113. Alpine or White-bellied Swift. Cypselus melba (Linn.). This swift has been killed at Old Bucken- ham and at Yarmouth, and , two others are said to have been seen in Norfolk. 114. Nightjar or Goat-sucker. Caprimulgus europaus, Linn. This is a rather common late summer visitant with us. 115. Wryneck. I^nx torquil/a, h'mn. A common summer migrant with us, but rather partial in its choice of a locality. 116. Green Woodpecker. Gecinus vtridis (Linn.). This bird is fairly abundant in Norfolk, notwithstanding the insane practice of shoot- ing them wherever met with, which often fills our bird-stufFers' workrooms. 117. Great Spotted Woodpecker. Dendro- copus major (Linn.). A resident here, which breeds in limited numbers. In autumn rather large numbers occasionally visit us. 1 1 8. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Dendro- copus minor (Linn.). Like the above this is a resident with us, but in smaller numbers, although apparently more frequent than formerly. It is prob- able that this species also receives some acces- sion to its numbers in autumn. 119. Kingfisher. Alcedo ispida, Linn. It is marvellous how the kingfisher main- tains its numbers as a resident, seeing the ruthless way in which it is shot whenever opportunity occurs. Considerable numbers come to us in the autumn. 120. Roller. Coracias garrulus, hinn. Probably not a roller that ventures to land upon our coast escapes with its life. It has been killed between 1664 and the present time in some nineteen instances, but in only one case has it had time to get far from the coast. Most of the Norfolk examples have been females. 121. Bee-Eater. Merops apiaster, Linn. Norfolk produced the first British-killed bee-eater in June, 1793, when two were shot at Mattishall.' Since that time eight others have been met with. 122. Hoopoe. Upupa epops, Linn. A spring and autumn migrant, not of fre- quent occurrence, and apparently less often met with than formerly. Mr. Gurney had a wing from the Hasborough light-ship in April, 1884. I have notes of others in 1885, 1886, 1888, 1890, 1892 and 1899. 123. Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus, Linn. This summer visitor is too well known to need any remarks. It is perhaps more abun- dant in the neighbourhood of the broads than elsewhere. 1 24. Great Spotted Cuckoo. Coccystes glan- darius (Linn.). The great spotted cuckoo has been met with on only one occasion in Norfolk. In October, 1896, a young male was shot on Caister Denes, near Yarmouth. 125. Barn or White Owl. Strix fiammeOy Linn. This owl, in spite of persecution, still sur- vives to repay its persecutors with nothing but benefits. The dark form, believed to be of Scandinavian origin, is occasionally found ' See Sowerby's Brit. Miscel., vol. ii. p. 17, Aug., 1806. 233
