FRINGILLIDM— FINCHES, 



III 



name to remain. There are records of two reputed occurrences of it in 

 Essex. Dr. Bree says (29. Oct. 5) Captain Dugmore, formerly of Col- 

 chester, told him that about Sept. 26th, 1878, he saw " a specimen of the 

 Purple Martin (^Hirmido piirpzirea) on the barrack exercising ground 

 here. Having lived in Canada, where the bird is plentiful, and being 

 within ten yards of the Swallow as it sailed past him, he had no doubt 

 whatever about the bird being the one indicated. * * * The strong pre- 

 valence of westerly winds for the last month may be expected to have 

 blown over many birds. Colchester may now boast of being the locality 

 where three very rare specimens of the Hirundinidae and Cypselidae 

 have been procured [ ? ]." This record seems very unsatisfactory, but if 

 so good a naturalist as Dr. Bree gave credence to it, it is perhaps as well 

 to follow him. Mr. Fitch also writes me that he remembers seeing Mr. 

 John Squire, formerly of Wixoe Park, shoot one on the Stour about 

 twenty years ago, but he does not know the present whereabouts of the 

 specimen.] 



Family CERTHIID.E. 



Tree Creeper: Certhia 

 familiaris. Locally, "Bark- 

 runner" (E. A. F.). 



A common resident 

 throughout the county, es- 

 pecially in well-wooded dis- 

 tricts. 



Yarrell gives (14. ii. 159) 

 as a vignette a wood-cut of a nest 

 of this bird which he says was 

 taken at Bower House, Haver- 

 ing. Round Orsett, it seems to 

 be uncommon, as Mr. Sackett 

 has only twice seen it, 



CREEPER, '%. 



Family FRINGILLID^. 



Goldfinch : Carduelis elegans. Locally " Redcap " (E .A. F. 



once). 



A resident in Essex, though local, not abundant, and to some 

 extent migratory. It is to be feared that its numbers in the county 

 are decreasing. 



King says (20) it was "common " around Sudbury in his time. Mr. Buxton 

 says (47. 88) it " used often to be caught by bird-catchers on Wanstead Flats ; 



