Towards the end of the summer of 1S73 the weather in the eott of Norfolk IM IKKWllloglj hot and sultry,
ami the eels in the rivers and broads, BEING in some manner nlTecfed by the water, crowded in immense
numbers into the small channels and dykes before Hie rising tide, to escape its influence. In such sputs
they were caught in incredible quantities by the natives by means of " baba"*. In order to ascertain if Hie
reports " i r e not exaggerated, I resolved to pass the night on the water and visit Ibo localities where the best
takes were declared to have been obtained. A short extract from my notes referring to the expedition will
show how frequently Coots passed over during the night :—
" Shortly before the darkness set in, a few ' colls't of Teal and two or three couple of Mallard were
noticed swooping low over the marshes to some favourite feeding-grounds. The Peewits were exceedingly
noisy, and continued wheeling and tumbling over their haunts till the daylight had entirely disappeared.
A Short-eared Owl or two Happed across the rushy ground, their long-cared relative also came in view, and
the screech of lire Barn-Owl was distinctly heard from the neighbourhood of the plantations. Though invisible
owing to the height at which they kept, the cries of Coots were nudible soon after dark, the birds evidently
flying singly without any settled course, their calls occasionally being answered by others nt a distance.
Por the first hour or so alter dark numbers Hew past; the cries were then less frequent, but between 10 P.M.
and '2 A.M. on the follow ittg morning the notes of at least two or three went recogni/.ed during MOh succeeding
hour. The night proved excessively close and still, even the rustling murmur of the reeds was hushed, not
a breath of air stirring their feathery heads or lifting the wreaths of fog oif the stagnant flats. Shortly after
10 P.M., while quanting from one spot to another where the cel-tishing was being carried on, a mile or tu o of the
river having boon passed over and the silence broken only by the hum of the insects and the occasional slushing
of a fi-h, the scream of a hare caught our ears, which, coupled with other sounds, left little doubt that poachers
were taking leverets on the land adjoining the Marlbam marshes. I was rather surprised at the tact of the
poaching fraternity being at work to-night. Do my way to the boats just as day was closing in 1 had passed
the door of a waterside public-house, and attracted by the chorus of one of the popular airs of the dav
chanted in a slow and faltering manner by a single beery voice, had peeped ruund the corucr of the door
and detected a well-known poacher, seated by himself in front of the dying embers that smouldered in the
kitchen grate. Not another soul appeared about the premises; hut here sat *Spurgeou' (the title by which
this character was known in the district), heating lime to his melancholy dirge with the bottom of his quart
pot on the top of the range. At last his voice grew fainter and fainter and finally ceased, the mug was drained,
and a fresh supply demanded in almost inaudible tones. No response being obtained, the pot was hammered
on the hob till dashed to pieces, when sinking back in his chair after a few muttered sentences his head dropped
forward and a long-drawn snore proclaimed the stupilled sot in the land of dreams. About 11 P.M. a bird
with a note I was totally unacquainted wilh crossed rapidly over, high in the air. The call was somewhat
similar to that of the Spotted lledshank, though it differed materially in many respects. At 11.30 r.M.
several Peewits were disturbed on a distant marsh, and remained llying about and calliug for nearly a quarter
of an hour before again settling. Shortly alter midnight a couple of Greciishauks passed over ilcighum
Sounds in an easterly direction, their notes being nudible for several minutes. About an hour later a heavy
thunderstorm broke over the country towards the south-east, and, though some miles distant, n lire, probably
caused by the lightning, was clearly visible and continued burning brightly for a considerable time. With
the exception of Coots, Peewits, and a solitary Curlew, no other birds gave evidence of being on the move.
Shortly before daybreak a drenching shower came down, when the drip of the rain on the water, and the wind
rising in gradually increasing gusts, put a slop to all chance of further observations."
* To "tnb" IN eels is a m it uejrenerati etjte of :].!m The bill Li . bunch ..f worm" thread-d on wonted tall in the water deae lo th.
W » tide be m«n> of • itonl rod. The M ii.mllj latin in will, MM now and Ibrn a J-lb. «11» captured,
t "Coll" i» . local name for • brood of ihc vonng of any of 11K Bah fouled tribe*.