NOTKS— ORUllNAI. AND .SKLECTKl). 1 39 



We have since heard that a female otter, accompanied by another young one, 

 was smoked out and killed from a drain near the Pyefleet Channel, within sight 

 of the " Goyants " meadow. It seems quite useless to remonstrate against the 

 senseless destruction of these interesting animals. The slaughter in this case is 

 more to be regretted, as I am told by the marshmen and labourers here that otters 

 were unknown in the island before this. An East Mersea farmer, whose personal 

 knowledge of the place extends back fifty years, assured us that he had never 

 heard of one having been seen. — AViLl.lAM Cole, East Mersea. 



Seal at Bradwell. — On June 2ist, William Linnett shot a seal, which had 

 been seen there several days previously, just off St. Peter's Chapel Point, Brad- 

 well. It measured 4ft. 6in in length, 34 J in. in girth, and weighed 80 lbs. Mr. 

 Miller Christy and I saw the skin and skull at James Spittey's, Bradwell Water- 

 side, on July 19th, and we believed it to be the common seal (^Plioca vititliiia^, 

 but were not sure.— EDWARD A. FiTCH, Maldon. 



Stork on the Stour River. — The '' Esse.x County Standard," of September 

 I7lh, records that "a few days ago a fine female stork was shot on the River 

 Stour, near Mistley, by Mr. A. Saunders." No indication of the species is given, 

 but the editor makes the following remarks : '■ It is said this stork is the only 

 specimen known to have appeared in the Siour within living memory [this 

 statement is not correct]. Considering the sort of reception which they are 

 likely to get, it is not strange that they are not often seen upon our hospitable 

 shores. Probaby if an angel were to alight upon this island for the purpose of 

 paying one of those visits which are ' few and far between,' some gallant British 

 sportsman would at once take aim in order to send the visitor to a ta.xidermist, 

 and an account of his own prowess to the local paper. As soon as any uncom- 

 mon bird or beast turns up it is marked for slaughter, no matter how inoffensi\ e 

 it may be, or how useful. The anim.al is shot, not in the interests of science, nor 

 in the legitimate pursuit of ' sport,' but merely to satisfy curiosity and the 

 instinct of destruction. It is a pity that this should be so, and we venture to 

 hope that the next stork which turns up in the Stour may be left unmolested. 

 At the same time we should strongly advise it to keep away." Since the above 

 was in type, we find from a communication from Major W. S. Dawson, of Higham 

 St. Mary, that the bird was a tame White Stork {Cicunia alba), but we retain the 

 paragraj h, as the occurrence may serve to explain some of the records of this 

 bird in Essex and other counties (see " Birds of Essex," p. l88). Major Dawson 

 writes : — " The appearance of a fine female stork in the Mistley marshes a short 

 time ago, where it was shot by a local 'cachiatore ' whilst standing on one leg, I 

 can account for ; he need not longer feel proud of his performance. For several 

 mcnths past my children were the happy possessprs of a pair of white storks, 

 which were brought to them from Ai^stria when fledgelings. They grew up quite 

 tame ; would come when called by the names, ' Hans ' or ' Delft ' ; would fly 

 away high into the sky at times, soar about round Higham Church, perch there, 

 and I believe next 3'ear would have built their nest upon the square tower had 

 they been left alone. I had arranged to clip their wings during the time of 

 migration this autumn. By next spring their wing feathers would have grown 

 again, and they would have been well contented to remain with us. They were 

 well known to the people about here, to whom it gave pleasure to watch their 

 gyrations. Hans has, I hear, met with the same fate as his biide whilst standing 

 on one leg in another marsh." 



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