A HISTORY OF NORFOLK as a Norfolk bird. It must suffice to refer to the articles in the Birds of Norfolk (ii. i, iii. 396), where the history of this grand bird is fully treated. Suffice it to say that the last of the indigenous race was killed in the year 1838. Since the latter date, those few which have been met with in Norfolk were /passing migrants. 2 1 8. Little Bustard. Otis tetrax, Linn. All the little bustards, some seventeen in number, as indeed all that had been met with in England, were winter visitants, and in the corresponding plumage ; but early in May, 1898, a beautiful male in full breeding plumage was killed at Kessingland, in the adjoining county of Suffolk. 219. Stone-Curlew or Norfolk Plover. (Edic- nemus scolopax (S. G. Gmelin). This fine species, after having considerably decreased in numbers, is I hope recovering its lost ground and again returning to some of the summer haunts from which it has been missed. 220. Collared Pratincole. Glareola prattncola, Linn. Five examples of this rare spring migrant have been met with in Norfolk, all, so far as is known, in May or June. Mr. Stevenson includes the cream-coloured courser as having twice been seen in Norfolk, but as the bird has not been produced, we think it safer to omit it, notwithstanding that both of his informants were excellent field naturalists. 221. Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus (Linn.). Passing 'trips' of the dotterel visit us in May, and again on their return journey in September, but in greatly reduced numbers, and mostly confined to the coast. 222. Caspian or Asiatic Plover. Mgialitis asiatica (Pallas). A beautiful male of this addition to the British fauna was shot near Great Yarmouth on May 22nd, 1890, and is now in the Nor- wich Museum. 223. Ringed Plover or Ring - Dotterel. /Egialitis hiaticula (Linn.). This plover is a common resident, receiving additions to its numbers in autumn. It nests in several suitable localities on the coast, also, but in reduced numbers, on some of the open 'brecks' in the south-west of the county, where it arrives in February and departs in August. Individuals of the small race with the darker mantle have occurred. 224. Kentish Plover. /Egialitis cantiana (Latham). The Kentish plover is a summer visitor, but rather rare. 225. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis, Linn. A few golden plovers arrive in Norfolk very early in the autumn, and they have been met with in the end of June, but it is not till the end of September that they arrive in any numbers. On the return migration, they have been met with as late as the month of May, in full breeding plumage, but have never been known to nest here. An example of the Asiatic golden plover (C. fulvus) was seen by Mr. Bidwell in Leadenhall Market, which he was assured had been killed in Norfolk (cf. Ibis, 1875, p. 513). 226. Grey Plover. Sguatarola helvetica (h'mn.). The grey plover is a spring and autumn migrant in varying numbers. It is often seen as late as the month of May in perfect breed- ing plumage. 227. Lapwing. Vanellus vulgaris, Bechstein. The lapwing is still a resident, breeding in sadly decreased numbers. Large flocks visit us in winter and early spring. 228. Turnstone. Strepsilas interpres (Linn.). The turnstone visits us in spring and autumn, often making a very late stay in the former season. 229. Oyster-Catcher. Hamatopus ostralegus, Linn. This is quite a common bird on the north- west coast of Norfolk, much less so on the east coast. A few nest with us in one or two fevoured localities. 230. Avocet. Recurvirostra avocetta, Linn. The late Mr. Rising of Horsey, in some MS. notes which I was allowed to copy, and which he confirmed viva voce, says : 'In 1 8 14 there were many avocets bred at Horsey. I have found more than six nests in a day. They left altogether after 1 824.' This is sup- ported by Lubbock, and I have other con- firmatory evidence. There was also a large colony at Salthouse, and in 1853 ^ marshman assured me that ' years ago ' he took many of their eggs every season. The late Mr. Gur- ney told me that this colony was exterminated in consequence of the demand for avocet's feathers for dressing artificial flies, he thought about the year 1820. At present the avocet is an occasional spring visitor to its old haunts. 240
