ao6 



THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



iLea about a mile from Hoddesdon. Seven of them were shot by one gentleman 

 (34. 709). Mr. Buxton says (47. 98) : — 



" Early in 1884, a male and three females frequented the upper pond in Wan- 

 stead Park for two months, in company with the Coots, and became almost as 

 'tame as they are. The male bird left us towards the end of February, but the 

 females were still there on March 7th." 



An adult male was shot at Ilford during the last week of 1877 (29. Jan. 5). At 

 Harwich, a few are seen every winter (Kerry), and a pair were shot in the harbour 

 ■on Jan. I2th, 1876 (34. 4827). Mr. Hope says that it arrives on our coasts in 

 October. In the winter of 1887-8, Mr. Sackett says he seldom went out shore- 

 shooting round Orsett without seeing several. On Feb. nth, he watched five 

 feeding on the edge of the tide ; three were diving, each remaining under water 

 for a long period, while the other two floated motionless, as if on guard. On Feb. 

 :2nd, 1889, he " observed a party of between twenty and thirty floating on the waves 

 waiting for the tide to recede ; also several other smaller parties out on the river." 

 In August, 1888, seven young " Black Ducks " were shot on a large sheet of water, 

 known as " The Wade," in Steeple parish, but I have been unable to satisfy myself 

 "that they were of this species, though it seems probable. Mr. Robert Page has a 

 pair, taken in his Decoy at Marsh House. 



Red-crested Pochard : Fuligula rufina. 



Of this very rare winter visitor to Britain, a single example only is 

 known to have been met with in Essex. It was killed near Col- 

 ■chester about January, 1844, and is now in the Museum of the Cam- 

 bridge Philosophical Society (37. iv. 408). The female figured in 

 Gould's Birds of Europe was shot out of a flock of eighteen on the 

 Thames, near Belvedere, Erith. 



Scaup : Fuligula viarila. 



A common visitor on our coast from autumn to spring ; seldom 

 met with inland. 



Mr. Hope says that 

 it arrives on our coasts 

 in October. Mr. 

 Clarke refers (24) to 

 one shot at Audley 

 Endon Feb. 2nd, 1830, 

 and another (female) 

 shot at the same place 

 on Jan. 25th, 1838, 

 which is still in the 

 Collection there. At 

 The Roos, Saffron 

 Walden, a specimen 

 shot on the pond there 

 some years ago is 

 preserved. Edward 

 Doubleday wrote in 



1835 (15) that it had 

 scAir DUCK, inacL, 1,0. , -,, , tt 1 



been killed at Harlow. 



L iglish records (44. iii. iv.) a young female shot on a pand at Theydon Garnoa 



