152 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



female at Little Braxted, and that about two years previously he had seen one in 

 Braxted Park (31). Mr. T. Bramley, of 9, Winchester Street, Bethnal Green, 

 ■writes (23. 4895) that " a person employed on Tyler's Farm, near Low Leyton, 

 being engaged in catching sparrows, had the good fortune to capture a 3-oung 

 Hoopoe on the 7th of August last [1855]." It is quite possible that this may 

 have been a home-bred bird. One was shot at Ashdon about the end of Sept., 

 1856 (23. 5319). Mr. P. Matthews, of Little Laver, still has a female which he 

 shot there about 1858 (^Essex Chron,, Ap. 27th). Dr. Bree records one (23. 

 8034) shot in the rectory garden at Erwarton, in Suffolk, on the Stour, in the 

 beginning of May, 1862, Mr. W. Jesse records one (23. 9627) seen by a game- 

 keeper at Woodbarns Farm, near Ingatestone, on and for several da3's after April 

 20th, 1865. Mr. Clarke records (24) that one, shot at Strethall in 1840, was in 

 the possession of the late Mr. Nicholas Parry of Strethall Hall, and that another 

 ■was shot in Peverell's Wood, Wimbish, in 1865. Dr. Bree records a male shot at 

 Mersea about the middle of Apr., 187 1 (29. Apr. 22 & 32a). Mr. H. A. Barclay 

 records (34. 4035) that one was seen feeding for several hours on his lawn at 

 Knott's Green, Leyton, in company with Starlings, Blackbirds and Thrushes, on 

 May 3rd, 1874. It^ was very wild. Mr. Travis tells me that in 1876 he received 

 five for preservation. In the spring of that year, two men picking twitch beside a 

 wood at Ashdon, were followed all one day by a pair which ate the insects, &c., 

 they turned up. The Rev. M. C. H. Bird informs me of his having seen a pair at 

 a farmhouse at Basildon, where they were shot about the year 1878. About the end 

 of Oct., 1879 (^Chelmsford Chronicle^ Nov. 14) one was killed b}' some men at work 

 on the railway near Felstead. One was seen for several hours to frequent a lawn at 

 Great Bentley on April 24th, 1880 (29. May 8) and (strange to relate !) was not 

 molested. The Rev. J. Whitaker Maitland has informed me of one killed some 

 years ago at Walthamstow. Mr. Buxton says (47. 87), "One bird frequented a 

 garden at Knott's Green for several days," about 188 1. One shot on September 

 20th, 1880, by Mr Elgie of the Oak Inn, Woodham Mortimer, on the confines of 

 that parish and Danbury, it having been observed in the neighbourhood for 

 several days (29. Oct. 2 & 42. 52). Mr. Travis records (44. iv. xii.) a young male 

 shot at Wimbish on Sept. 30th, 1882, and a female on October 9th following 

 at Horseheath, Cambs, on the Essex border. 1 saw one beside a wood at Sad- 

 dler's Farm, near Saffron Walden, on April 22nd, 1883 — probably the same shot 

 shortly after near Royston. Lieut.-Col. Marsden has informed me of one shot 

 near Walton-on-the-Naze about the year 1885. Mr. Wm. C. Emson of Littlebury 

 informs me that his brother has a specimen shot at Wimbish about the year 1886. 

 A male was shot at Little Walden on April 7th, 1886, and preserved by Mr, 

 Travis {Chelmsford Chronicle^ April 16). Mr. Reginald W. Christy of Boynton 

 Hall, Roxwell, has one which he shot there as it rose from a damp ditch in which it 

 was feeding, on May 3, 1886, Mr. Hope has one, shot in mistake for a Jay at 

 Forest Hall, Ongar, in May, 1886. He knew of three, all females, shot in Essex in 

 that year. Mr. W. R. Sackett records one shot at Grays early in Apr. 1888 (29. 

 May 5th). One was shot at Langford Park during the first week of Sept., 1886 (41. 

 ii. 33 & 29. Sept. II). A male was shot at Willingale on Apr. 20th, 1888 {Essex 

 Chron. Apr.. 27th). iMr. Hastings Warren, of Little Dunmow, has one shot in 

 that parish several years ago, when it was observed in company with another. 



