A RDEIDM—HER ONS. 



185 



Purple Heron : Ardea purpurea. 



A rare and accidental straggler to Britain, of which only one 

 specimen is recorded as having been certainly met with in Essex. 



Mr. C. Walford records (19. 126) a fine specimen shot during the second week 

 in April, 1839, in a wood near Maiden. He adds : " It was very low in flesh 

 when killed, not weighing more than two pounds six ounces." A specimen which 

 Selby says (^British Ornilhology^ ii. 15) note) was killed "near London," is very 

 likely to have been obtained in Essex, but no locality is given. 



Great White Heron : Ardea alba. 



A rare and accidental straggler to Great Britain. The only record 

 of its appearance in Essex is the following : 



Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear write (9. 4c) : — 



"On the 3rd of October last [? 1823], in a walk on the banks of the River 

 Stour, we observed a large White Heron cross over from the Suffolk to the Essex 

 side of the river. It appeared to be pure white, and to stand up rather taller than 

 some common Herons which were feeding not far off. A similar bird was ob- 

 served in the spring on the Oakley shores ; and, subsequently to our observation, 

 one was seen on the banks of the River Orwell." 



E. Smith, of Cogges- 

 in i860, mentions 



Little Bittern : Ardetta miiiuta. 



A somewhat rare visitant to Britain, which has occurred 

 half-a-dozen times in Essex, chiefly during the autumn 

 winter. 



C 

 hall, 



one (31. 52) "shot by 

 Mr. Sach of the Abbey 

 Farm." Dr. Bree re- 

 cords (29 ; 32a ; and 

 34. 517), "a male, in - 

 good plumage," shot on j 

 Aug. 13th, 1866, just 

 above North Bridge, \ 

 Colchester. He adds : "^ 

 " I never heard of one 

 being captured here be- 

 fore," and says further 

 that it was added to his 

 Collection. Mrs. Bree 

 still has it. Henry 

 Doubleday has recorded 

 (34- 4199) that a young 

 specimen, probably a 

 male, having just com- 

 pleted its first autumnal 

 moult, was shot at Pass- 

 ingford Bridge on Sept. 

 15th, 1874, after having 

 been seen about for sev- 



at least 

 or early 



LiTri-E uiTTERN, male, 1/5. 



