BIRDS A ' winter migrant ' on the other hand is a bird which comes to us in autumn, remaining with us till the return of spring calls it back to its breeding haunts in more northern regions. The fieldfare, redwing, brambling, hooded crow, with the great majority of the woodcocks, are examples of this class, and having no inducement to remain long in one place, their movements are more irregular and uncertain than those of the summer migrants. The term ' visitant ' is applied to a species which comes to us on its passage from north to south, or vice versa, remaining only for a few weeks or days, perhaps but for a few hours, for the purpose of resting. Many of the waders, like the grey plover, greenshank, knot and bar-tailed godwit, come to the Suffolk coast and to Breydon Water in May on their migration to their northern breeding grounds, and make a return visit in August and September when the young birds of the year are numerous, but at mid-summer or mid-winter none are to be found. Under the heading of ' visitants ' must also be included those birds the occurrence of which in the county is more or less irregular and accidental. A good deal of bird protection has been accomplished in Suffolk both by private effort and recent legislation. Within the limits of juris- diction of the West Suffolk County Council all species of owls, the kestrel, the kingfisher, and the great bustard (the last-named for special reasons) are now protected throughout the year, and the taking or destroying of their eggs, with those of the nightjar, heron, stone- curlew, redshank and many other species is prohibited. In east Suffolk that portion of the coast on which the terns and other birds breed is now a ' protected area,' and here, where a single raid used formerly to produce eighty or a hundred ' cobs' eggs,' protection exists not only in name but in actual fact. Breydon Water also is well looked after in the close time by the members of the Breydon Protection Society and their agents, so that spoonbills frequently come there, remain for some days, and depart in safety. The extension of the close time in Norfolk and east Suffolk from i August to i September has also been of great value in preventing the wanton destruction of the terns and black-headed gulls. It seems desirable to add the local or colloquial names of each species so far as it has been possible to obtain them. Natural history ' object lessons ' now form a part of the instruction given in village schools, and the teaching must often be given by those whose knowledge of their subject has been gained from books and illustrations rather than from actual out-door experience. The children will thus be taught to speak of the various birds by what must be admitted to be their proper names and to discard the familiar ' mavis ' and ' King Harry ' which have come down from generation to generation in our villages, so it seems possible that in the course of time these names may become obsolete. In drawing up this list the second edition (1899) of Mr. Howard Saunders' Illustrated Manual of British Birds has been adopted as the guide both to the order in which the species are given, and the name 179
