128 



THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



Dr. Bree had a 3'ellow variety taken from the nest by Mr. Docwra of Foxbur- 

 rows, Kelvedon, in the spring of 1880. The other young birds aaJ their parents 

 were all of the normal colour (32a). 



Cirl Bunting : Etnberiza cirlus. 



Though locally resident in most of the southern counties, this 

 bird seems to be very rare in Essex. There are but two or three 

 records of its occurrence in the county. 



\V, D. King, writing at Sudbury in 1838, says (20) : 



" I cannot speak quite confidently as to the occurrence of this bird ; but about 

 four years ago, by the side of the chalk pits on the road to Middleton [in Essex] 

 I saw a bird on a low tree which I believed to be a Cirl Bunting. I had a 

 stuffed specimen in my possession at the time." 



Chas. E. Smith records one (31. 53) shot at Latchingdon in 1854. Mr. 

 Arthur Lister, who is perfectly familiar with the note of this bird, informs me 

 that several years ago he heard one at Saffron Walden,'but had unfortunately no 

 time to verify the observation further. There is, however, no reason to doubt it, 

 for Mr. Travis has a very nice specimen taken near Thaxted about 1885, and sent 

 to him in the flesh. 



Reed Bunting : Emberiza schcenichis. Locally, " Black-headed 



Bunting," or " Reed Sparrow." 



A fairly-common resident throughout the county, especially in 

 those parts which are more or less marshy. It is, however, to 



some extent migratory. 



It breeds very commonly round 

 the source of the Stour, in the 

 Bumpstead and Birdbrook districts, 

 but is rare at Maldon (Fitch). 



REED HUNTING, male, about y,. 



Snow Bunting : Pleclrophanes nivalis. 



A scarce resident in the Scotch Highlands, but a winter visitant 

 only to Essex and the rest of England. It usually occurs on the 

 coast during severe winters in greater or less numbers, but indi 

 viduals have occasionally been shot as far inland as Bardfield, 

 Dunmow, Halstead, and Epping. 



Mr. Parsons shot one (8) at New England, on Nov. 29th, 1830, and another 

 on Oct. 25th, 1836. A male was shot at Bardfield in 1836 (Clarke — 24). One 

 was shot near Halstead in the severe winter of 1837-38 (19. 34). Mr. Buxton 



