SCOL OP A CID.^—SA ND PIPERS. 25 1 



[1858], and another in the following year, on the Blackwater. King de- 

 scribes it (20) as " not uncommon " round Sudbury, and Mr. Grubb also 

 mentions it (39) as occurring on his ground there. Mr. Buxton says (47. 96) 

 it is "occasionally seen in spring and autumn by Leytonstone Pond, [by] 

 the waters in Wanstead Park, and by the Roding. 1 saw one last year [? 1884] 

 by Baldwin's Hill Pond." Round Orsett, it is uncommon (Sackett). Mr. Hope 

 writes that it is common in all the marsh ditches on the coast during migration, 

 but he has never known it nest there. 



Green Sandpiper: Helodromas ochropus. Locally, "Will 

 White " (E. A. F.) and " Black Snipe." 



This mysterious bird has been met with in Essex in every month 

 in the year, except perhaps January, February, and March, as the 

 following records will show ; yet its eggs are not known ever to have 

 been taken in Britain. With us, it is most often seen in July 

 and August, though it is not uncommon in May and September, 

 at which times it may be regarded as a passing migrant to Or 

 from unknown breeding-grounds further north, a supposition 

 favoured by its comparative rarity during June and the winter 

 months. When on migration it may often be met with inland, on 

 the edges of ponds, &c. 



Henry Doubleday, writing from Epping on Aug. 24th, 1832, says (lo) : — 



" I have met with no ornithological rarities, except » * a very fine specimen 

 of the Green Sandpiper, which I shot here about two weeks since without spoil- 

 ing a feather, and it has made a very nice bird. It is very rare here, and only 

 now and then met with in the months of July, August, and September. I can- 

 not view it in the light of a winter visitant, as I never saw or heard of one at that 

 season. « * * I should think it is a summer visitor, like the Common Sandpiper, 

 though a much rarer one." 



In Sept., 183;, he sa3^s (10) : "We have had several Green Sandpipers here 

 this autumn. I shot four at one pond." Again on Sept. 8th, 1840, he says (10) : 

 " I shot a couple of Green Sandpipers about a week since, and saw a third, but it 

 was very shy." On Aug. 6th, 1841, he says (10) : "I have noticed one or two 

 Green Sandpipers at our ponds for the last two or three weeks." On Aug. i8th, 

 1842, he says (10) : — 



" There are a great many Green Sandpipers at the ponds here — far more than 

 usual. I have noticed them for a month past. I cannot think when and where 

 they breed, as these seem all old birds, and I never yet shot a young one here, 

 though I daresay at different times I have killed a score. They are here in July, 

 and remain till November, and I sometimes see them in May." 



Yarrell says (25. ii. 559) Doubleday informed him that he shot one near 

 Epping on Nov. 2nd, 1840, though he had never before observed one there so 

 late in the year. As it was only slightly wounded, he kept it alive, and it soon 

 became very tame, running rapidly about the room and feeding readily upon 

 small worms. Edward Doubleday, of Epping, in 1835, says (15) it " occurs here 

 in May, July (the first week), August, and September." Elsewhere he writes 

 (12. vi. 149) : " Is the Green Sandpiper a resident in Britain or only a periodical 

 visitant ? With us it is only found in: July, August, September, and, I believe^ 

 October." Mr. Buxton says (47. 96) that to the Epping Forest district it is an 

 " occasional visitor in spring and autumn. One was shot in Mr. Barclay's grounds 

 Knott's Green. Two others, shot near Epping, and presented by Hy. Doubleday, 



