246 



THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



code of signals, however expressed, is not only intelligible but thoroughly 

 understood and implicitly acted on by every bird in the flock." 



Mr. Hope observes that they can be seen on our coasts all the year 

 round, but do not breed, as far as he knows. Yarrell, too, says it has not been 

 known (37. iii. 380) to breed in Essex, Norfolk or Suffolk, though its nest has 

 been taken in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Northumberland. Mr. John Basham, 

 jun., of Maldon, informs rae of an enormous bag of these birds made by.his father 

 one night about forty years ago, when he killed by a single discharge of his gun 

 no less than 2^ dozen out of a flock settled on the ice. This was the number 

 actually obtained, but he thinks the gulls and crows took several dozen for 

 themselves. Josiah Pitt, of Maldon, once shot 25 dozen at^a single shot. Mr. 

 Parsons also mentions having killed 33 by one discharge of his punt gun on 

 the New England Saltings on Nov. 25, 1836.. 



Little Stint : Triiiga minuta. 



A not-uncommon shore-bird when on migration in spring and 

 autumn. 



Sheppard and Whitear state 



- ., (9. 43) that they had " killed it on 



.. ._' . Ray Island in the River Stour." 



In the Parsons Collection are 

 specimens shot on New England 

 on Aug. 27th, 1835, and Sept. 6th, 

 ' 1836. Mr. Bond met with a few 

 specimens at Southend late in Aug., 

 1843 (23. 40). It " has once, at 

 least, been procured near Epping. 

 The specimen referred to is in the 

 British Museum " (Buxton — 47. 

 LITTLE STINT, in wiutcr, %. 97). Round Harwich, Mr. Kerry 



(After Bewick). gays it is rare, but two in his Collec- 



tion were shot there, and five were shot in the autumn of 1889. Mr. Hope 

 observes that for a few days in April, and again in October, when on migration, 

 they may be seen about the ditches on the saltings in small parties of five or six. 

 Two were shot on Canvey Island on Sept. loth, 188 1 (Bird). Mr. Pettitt has 

 several killed by his- brother out of a flock at Paglesham on Aug. 29th, 1889 

 Mr. A. H. Smee shot one which was flying in company with another at Leigh on 

 Sept. I7lh, 1S70 (34. 2383). Mr. Fitch has shot it at iNIaldon. 



Temminck's Stint : Tringa temmincki. 



An uncommon visitor to our coast when on migration in spring 

 and autumn. 



Mr. Parsons' Collection contains one which has nearly acquired its summer 

 plumage, shot at the Lower Fleet, New England Island, on Aug. 25th. 1835. Lind- 

 sey, writing from Harwich in 1851, says (27. App. 51) that " it is only occasionally 

 to be seen on the ooz}' patches of our shore." Mr, Kerry mentions some (40. i. 52) 

 shot on Dovercourt beach in the autumn of 1876, but the only one he himself ever 

 saw near Harwich he shot, in compan}^ with a Little Stint, in 1886. Chas. E. Smith 

 notes one (31. 53) "shot at Latchingdon, near Maldon, in the spring of 1856." 

 Yarrell mentions one (25. iii. 72) killed at a pond-side in Essex b}' Hy. Doubleday 



