i68 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



In Feb., 1839, " ^ very fine Eagle shot at Forest Hall," Ongar, was presented to 

 the Chelmsford Museum (19. loi). Mr. Hope says it is "often seen passing up 

 the coast, and is not uncommon off the main." In Rochford Hundred in 1832, 

 Mr. Parsons says (il) it used to be seen "on the shore, but very rarely ; one 

 killed at South Shoebury " — probably 'the fine adult shot there on Aug. ist, 

 1835, and still in the Parsons Collection. Mr. E. F. Sheppard, son of the Rev 

 Revett Sheppard, formerly rector of Wrabness, writing to T. C. Heysham of 

 Carlisle on Jan. 19th, 1836, says (17) : 



" Almost every winter we saw Eagles at Wrabness. Once, walking with my 

 father on the banks of the river Stour, we saw four together. They there prin- 

 cipally prey upon the Coots. It is a curious sight to see the Eagle drive up a 

 flock of many thousands of Coots — perhaps, previous to the Eagle's visit, extend- 

 ing over more than a mile — into a thick knot, and to see them with fluttering 

 wings scrambling over each other, some under water, some above. The Eagle 

 then, very deliberately, picks one up, and flies to the ooze,- or, if in very severe 

 weather, perhaps to some floating ice, where he de\'ours his victim. If the silly 

 birds would fl}-, they would be safe enough, for I am quite sure the Eagle cannot 

 catch a bird on the wing. The Great Black-backed Gull assails the Coots in 

 precisely the same way as the Eagle. A gunner once told me that he fired into a 

 flock of Coots, when a Great Gull was hovering over them, and bagged sixty- 

 three. I used to try all manner of schemes to shoot an Eagle, but i never suc- 

 ceeded. I was once within ten yards of one when I had not got a gun. 

 They were sometimes shot by the fowlers on the river and the gamekeepers 

 in the woods." 



During Dec, 1879, " one was seen on several occasions on the marshes 

 opposite Manningtree." It was repeatedly shot at, but escaped {Chelmsfora 

 Chronicle, Dec. 19). A bird, presumably of this species, was seen in Takeley Forest 

 about 1880, by Mr. John Sheldrake, who still lives there. It was not obtained. 

 Mr. Smoothy informs me that there is one at H3'lands, shot there some years 

 ago, and that one winter, about 1883, one frequented his meadows at Danbury for 

 nearly six months. During Nov. and Dec, 1887, one was frequently seen round 

 Wyvenhoe, but the many attempts to shoot it were unsuccessful. In Dec, 1868, 

 one was frequently seen and shot at round Wyvenhoe and Alresford (50. ii. 20 & 

 Chelmsford Chronicle, Dec. 30, '87). It was subsequently trapped at Thornham, 

 Suffolk (29. Jan. 2, 1869 & 34. 1558.) Varrell says (14. i. 16) it has been shot 

 in Epping Forest. 



Goshawk : Astur pa/ianbarhis. 

 A rare straggler to Britain. 



Mr. Clarke notes (24) the occurrence of a female at the Aviary, Audley End, 

 in 1822 ; but, as it had a jess on one leg, it was certainly an escaped individual. 

 It is still in the Audley End Collection. Hoy records (12. viii. 53 & 29. Oct. 12, 

 1867) an adult male trapped by a gamekeeper upon the estate of Sir Joshua 

 Rowley, Bart., of Stoke Nayland, which is just across the Stour, on March i6th, 

 1833. This specimen is probably one of those still in his Collection. Mr. Hope 

 informs me of one " shot by Mr. Lescher's keeper whilst hunting a French Part- 

 ridge." Mr. Lescher does not know the present owner of this specimen. 



Sparrowhawk : Accipiter nisus. 



A fairly-common resident, but decreasing through incessant per- 

 secution. 



Edward Doubleday records it (15) as "common" at Epping in 1835. In 



