244 



THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



Mr. Scruby informs me that a white specimen was shot at Shelley a few 

 years ago. He himself fired at it, but missed. 



Jack Snipe : Limnocryptes gallinnla. Locally, " Half Snipe." 

 A fairly-common winter visitor, most often seen during a frost. 



.:5=.*=>,.v I'^'ng says (20) that in 1838 it 



_~ ^ N^ - was " common " about Sudbury. 



It frequently occurs on Wanstead 

 Flats in winter (Baxter). I 

 have occasionally seen them, 

 and once shot one, in a marshy 

 meadow close to this house. 

 Round Harwich, Mr. Kerry 

 says it is common most winters. 

 He once shot one weighing 3^ 

 ounces, the usual weight being 

 about 2 ounces. 



JACK SNIPE, 



(After Bczvk-k). 



Dunlin : Tringa alpina. Locally, " Oxbird." 



The commonest Sandpiper on our coasts during autumn, winter 

 and spring. Although it has never been known to nest in the county, 



specimens some- 

 times remain on 

 the Coast until 

 the end of May, 

 and often return 

 by the middle of 

 July, while some 

 even stay with 

 us all the year 

 round. 



Parsons says (13. 

 ii. 1 54.)that at South- 

 church, although 

 none remain tobreed, 

 " about the middle 

 of July the old ones 

 arrive here, and the 

 first of the young 

 about the middle of 



nUNLiNS, summer and %vinter, '%. 



August. All that month and September [they] continue to come, and during 

 winter may be seen in immense flocks, traversing the surface of the water, or 

 sometimes, rising higher, they appear like a dark cloud, and rapidly turning and 

 presenting their breasts to the spectator, they all at once appear of a snowy white." 

 He shot seven (8) on New England on July 24th, 1S24. His observations on this 

 bird (22) are very numerous. He seems not infrequently to have observed them 

 about until nearly the end of May : for instance, on May 23rd, 1836, he "saw a 



