Page:VCH Norfolk 1.djvu/262

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A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 51. Grey Wagtail. Motacilla melanope^VaWss. Not a common bird in Norfolk, but shows a preference to some few favoured localities. 52. Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla Jiava, Linn. This species has been killed in a few in- stances in Norfolk in the spring, but can only be regarded as a straggler. M. cinereicapilla, Savi, the Mediterranean variety, with grey crown and very little eye- streak, has been recorded for Norfolk (Gurney, Trans. Norf. and Nor. Nat. Soc, ii. p. 226). Whether this is deserving of specific rank or not, Mr. Gurney points out that an example, now in the possession of Mr. F. Boynton, precisely similar to his bird, was killed at Brighton in 1867. 53. Yellow Wagtail. Motacilla rail (Bona- parte). Generally distributed in summer in the marshy districts of the county. 54. Tree-Pipit. Anthus trivialis (Linn.). A summer migrant in the wooded districts. 55. Meadow-Pipit. Anthus pratensis (Linn.). A common resident, receiving additions in autumn. 56. Tawny Pipit. Anthus campestris (Linn.). A female was taken in a clap-net at Yar- mouth on October 7th, 1897 ; it has also occurred at Lowestoft. 57. Richard's Pipit. Anthus richardi, VieiWot. Richard's pipit has been taken near Yar- mouth four times in winter and twice in spring. 58. Rock-Pipit. Anthus obscurus (Latham). This species is not uncommon on the coast, more particularly in the autumn. It is sus- pected of having bred at Blakeney in 1880.* 59. Scandinavian Rock-Pipit. Anthus rupes- tris, Nilsson. The Scandinavian rock-pipit has been several times shot in Norfolk in the months of February and March. 60. Golden Oriole. Oriolus galhula, Linn. This beautiful bird is a very rare summer visitor to Norfolk. There is reason to be- lieve, however, that it has nested in this county more than once. 1 F. D. Power, Trans. Norf. and Nor. Nat. ?ac., iii. p. 346. 61. Great Grey Shrike. Lan'tus excubitor, Linn. An occasional visitor, generally in autumn. The variety with a single alar bar known as L. major, Pallas's grey shrike, is not an in- frequent visitor during autumn and winter, perhaps the more frequent of the two. 62. Lesser Grey Shrike. Lan'tus minor, Gmelin. Has been met with only twice in Norfolk, in both instances near Yarmouth and both in the spring time, first in 1869 and again in 1875. 63. Red-backed Shrike or Butcher-Bird. Lanius collurio, Linn. A summer migrant, not so frequent as formerly. 64. Woodchat. Lanius pomeranus, Sparrman. Hunt, in his List of Norfolk Birds states that Mr. Scales (of Beechamwell) assured him he had killed this rare species in the neigh- bourhood of Beechamwell, where he has known it to breed and rear its young. But for the fact that both Scales and Hunt were excellent observers, one would be inclined to regard this statement with doubt ; it seems to be in some degree corroborated by the state- ment of J. D. Hoy {Mag. Nat. Hist, iv., 343) to the effect that one killed near SwafF- ham, which is in the neighbourhood of Beechamwell, was in the collection of the Rev. Robert Hamond.* Hoy's communica- tion is dated March i6th, 1831. The specimen, also mentioned by Hoy, as killed by Mr. Adams ' of Gorleston, Norfolk,' is stated by Messrs. Paget to have been killed by that gentleman at Brad well, Suffolk, in April, 1829. Selby [Brit. Orn., i. 153) mentions one as having been seen, but not shot, by Rev. R. Hamond, some time before 1833. Mr. Gurney has one in his collec- tion, killed near Yarmouth, in April, 1859, and another was procured at the same place in 1885. 65. Waxwing. Ampelis garrulus, Linn. An accidental winter visitor, occasionally arriving in considerable numbers, but very uncertain. 66. Pied Flycatcher. Muscicapa atricapilla, Linn. A somewhat rare spring and autumn mi- grant, believed to have occasionally nested here. ' There are three woodchats at present in the Hamond collection, all of which may be of local origin. 230