TURDID.^— CHATS. 77 



and remains till September. In 1888, Mr. Walter Crouch observed 

 one at Barking-Side as early as March nth (50. ii. 53). 



Mr. Joseph Clarke, writing of the Saffron Walden district in 1845, says (24) 

 it then bred there occasionally, though not commonly. He notes the occurrence 

 of a very beautiful white specimen at Newport in May, 1843 ; it was then in the 

 possession of one Watson, a tailor, there. I saw a pair, probably breeding, at 

 Saffron Walden, in the beginning of May, i88o. W. D. King describes it (20) as 

 " not very uncommon " around Sudbury. Lindsey, writing from Harwich in 1851, 

 says (27. App. 57\ it " arrives in great numbers here in spring." Mr. Kerry says 

 it is now scarce there during the breeding season, but is very common when on 

 migration. Ed. Doubleday says (15) he had met with it at Epping, meaning 

 probably when on migration, for his brother wrote on May 19th, 1841 (lo), "The 

 Wheatear never breeds about us," and Mr. Buxton speaks of it (47. 91) as only " a 

 passing visitor [to Epping Forest] in spring and autumn." Round Orsett, it never 

 breeds, but is common on migration about the end of March and end of August 

 (Sackett). In the Paglesham district, Mr. J. F. T. Wiseman informs me that it is 

 common. Lieut. Legge, writing in 1865, from South Shoebury, says (23. 9837) : — 



"This handsome bird is very plentiful [herej, frequenting the flat wastes 

 and uncultivated lands. They build here in the holes between dry sods or 

 in deserted rabbit burrows. The young birds of the year are very plentiful on 

 the marshes in August, and may be seen in all directions, perched on some 

 stone or clod, bowing and cocking their tails." 



Mr. Hope has noticed young birds on the coast on June 17th. On Aug. i8th, 

 1881, Mr. Kerry shot, at Ramsey, a curious variety, having about it a good deal 

 of white. Mr. J. H. Gurney, junr., who has seen the specimen, pronounces it to 

 be of this species. 



Whinchat : Fratificola rubetra. Locally, " Furzechat." 

 A regular, though rather local, summer visitor, coming to us about 

 the middle of April, and leaving again early in October. It is most 

 commonly seen at the times __ - — _ 



1839, he writes (10), it "has been ^" 



so remarkably scarce here this whinchat, ;«a/^, K- 



year that I do not think I have seen half a dozen all round this neighbour- 

 hood." Again, in May, 1843, he wrote (23.222), "Although in former years 

 one of our most abundant visitors, for the last two or three seasons [it] has 

 been very scarce. I have not seen more than one or two pairs anywheie in the 

 neighbourhood this spring." In the Forest, Mr. Buxton now speaks of it (47. 91) 



