A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK size and entire absence of white in the plumage distinguish this bird from the ring- dove, and it does not ' coo,' but utters instead a singular grunting note. 1 80. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Selby. A summer migrant arriving about May Day and easily encouraged by feeding. For some years past they have come daily to the garden at Tostock rectory in the summer months, feeding on maize thrown down for the tame pigeons, and though they do not pass the winter north of the Mediterranean there can be little doubt that the same birds return to their old haunts year after year. They are very fond of salt, and when seen in kitchen gardens they come there with no worse intent than to peck about on the salt- impregnated soil of the asparagus beds. The beauty and harmlessness of this bird well merit the protection ordered in west Suffolk both for itself and its eggs. i8i. Pallas's Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes para- doxus (Pallas) Suffolk was visited by this Asiatic species both in the immigration of 1863 and the second and much larger one in 1888. Mr. Hele records [Notes about A Idehurgh, ed. 1890, p. 79) that on 28 May, 1863, seven were seen to come in from the sea, which alighted on the shore at Thorpe. A female (Ipswich Museum) was shot and brought to him, and many others were afterwards seen. Dr. Babington [Catalogue, pp. 236-8) has given a very careful record of the first visitation with illustrations of a cock and hen. The pioneers of the second visitation appeared in Suffolk about the end of May, 1888, when one was obtained at Mildenhall and another picked up on the beach at Lowestoft. Several "were shot near Aldeburgh, some of which were taken to Mr. Hele, and a fine pair in the Tostock rectory collection were kindly sent by him in the flesh. The birds soon spread all over the county, and many passed on to the midlands. Some remained till the end of the year, but no attempt at breeding appears to have been made in Suffolk. In 1889 'there was a beautiful single male Pallas's sand-grouse killed at Thorpe Haven the very end of January. It was peculiarly marked about the breast, being very dark. The primaries of the wings and elongated feathers of the tail were most perfect. The bird weighed thirteen ounces. I should say about the best example obtained ' (N. F. Hele in litt.). Dr. Babington died in January, 1889, having been for some time in failing health, which prevented him from going thoroughly into the visitation of 1888, and perhaps the last addition to his fine collection of birds was a male of this species shot at Lowestoft 13 June, 1888. It is impossible to give any idea of the number visiting the county or of those killed, but a local paper stated that on 27 August a flock of two or three hundred birds passed over Eriswell, and it is pretty certain that all those which were shot were not recorded. 182. Pheasant. Phasianus colchicus, Linn. Though thousands of pheasants are annu- ally reared and shot in Suffolk, it would now be a difficult matter to obtain a specimen of the pure old English form. The great ma- jority of cocks show more or less of the white ring on the neck derived from the Chinese P. torquatus, and as the Japanese pheasant and Reeves' pheasant have also been turned down in various places, cross-bred birds in great variety have been shot. Pied or even white varieties are common enough, and about the end of 1898 two hybrids be- tween the pheasant and common fowl were sent to Bury to be preserved. Colonel Butler records [Zoologist, 1901, p. 477) a black grouse and pheasant hybrid shot near Wood- bridge, and it seems hardly needful to add that the presence of the black grouse in Suf- folk is due to some having been turned down. 183. Partridge. Perdix cinerea, hutham. Suffolk has long been regarded as a strong- hold of this favourite game bird, which is often spoken of as the ' pattridge.' They are expected to be paired by Valentine Day and to have hatched by Midsummer Day. Varieties of plumage occur from time to time. 184. Red-legged Partridge. Caccahis rufa (Linn.) Locally, French Partridge or Frenchman. Towards the close of the eighteenth cen- tury these birds were introduced into England ' by the Marquis of Hertford and Lord Rendlesham, each of whom had eggs procured on the Continent, carefully brought to Eng- land, and placed under domestic fowls ; the former at Sudbourn, near (Jrford in Suffolk, one of his shooting residences ; the latter on his estates at Rendlesham, a few miles distant from Sudbourn. From these places the birds have been gradually extending themselves over the adjoining counties ' (Yarrell, ed. 4, iii. 1 1 6). The 'Frenchman' is now dis- persed all through the county, and is perhaps as common in the neighbourhood of Diss as anywhere. Young birds of this species in 202
