A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



1 9. Garden-Warbler. Sylvia hortensis (Bech- 



stein). 



As the last named. 



20. Dartford Warbler. Sylvia undata (Bod- 



daert). 



A resident, but very rare and local. 



21. Goldcrest. Regulus cristatus, K. L. Koch. 

 A resident, but nowhere very common. 



In winter its numbers are increased by im- 

 migration. 



22. Firecrest. Regulus ignicapillus (Brehm). 

 A rare visitor, though perhaps often mis- 

 taken for the foregoing. 



23. Chiffchaff. Phylloscopus rufus (Bechstein). 

 A regular summer visitor, but decidedly 



local and nowhere abundant. It is most 

 numerous when on migration in spring and 

 autumn. It is our earliest migrant to arrive, 

 being often heard in March and occasionally 

 early in that month. 



24. Willow - Warbler. Phylloscopus trochilus 



(Linn.). 



A common summer visitor. 



25. Wood - Warbler. Phylloscopus slbilatrtx 



(Bechstein). 



A summer visitor, though very local and 

 nowhere common. 



26. Reed - Warbler. Acrocephalus streperus 



(Vieillot). 



A regular summer visitor, but decidedly 

 local and apparently confined to the coast, 

 or nearly so. 



[Marsh Warbler. Acrocephalus palustris 

 (Bechstein). 



Occurs in all probability, but not as yet 

 actually identified, so far as I know.] 



27. Sedge- Warbler. Acrocephalus phragmitis 



(Bechstein). 

 An abundant summer visitor. 



28. Grasshopper-Warbler. Locustella narvia 



(Boddaert). 



A summer visitor, but decidedly uncommon 

 and seldom heard, except round Danbury and 

 Maldon, where it is fairly common (Fitch). 



29. Savi's Warbler. Locustella luscinio'ides 



(Savi). 



A rare summer visitor. The only record 

 (Zoologist, 1850, p. 2849) of its occurrence 

 in the county (a nest said to have been taken 

 at Dagenham on May 24, 1850) is somewhat 

 unsatisfactory. 



238 



30. Hedge - Sparrow. Accentor modularis 



(Linn.). 



Locally, Hedge-Betty. 

 An abundant resident. 



31. Alpine Accentor. Accentor collarh (Sco- 



poli). 



A rare and accidental visitor. The first 

 British and only recorded Essex example was 

 shot at Walthamstow in August 1817 (Birds 

 of Essex ; p. 89). 



32. Dipper. Cinclus aquaticus, Bechstein. 



A rare and accidental visitor. There are 

 about a dozen records of its occurrence in the 

 county. 



33. Black-bellied Dipper. Cinclus melano- 



gaster, Brehm. 



Most of the occurrences noted under the 

 foregoing species relate, in all probability, to 

 this form, which is probably only sub-specific- 

 ally distinct ; but only one is known to do 

 so (see Biro's of Essex, p. 90). 



34. Bearded Tit. Panurus biarmicus (Linn.). 

 Formerly a resident, common in suitable 



localities, such as the reed-beds round the 

 coast : now extinct, or nearly so, in the 

 county. Probably however it still breeds 

 with us occasionally, as specimens have been 

 seen within recent years (see Birds of Essex, 

 p. 92). One was found dead near Harwich 

 on March 30, 1895 (Essex Nat. ix. 52), and 

 Dr. Salter watched one for some time at 

 Goldhanger, on April 21, 1896, when it was 

 probably breeding. 



35. British Long-tailed Tit. Acredula rosea 



(Blyth). 



Locally, Bottle-Tit, Oven-builder, etc. 

 A fairly common resident, but apparently 

 decreasing, probably because it builds so large 

 and conspicuous a nest so early in the spring. 



36. Great Tit. Parus major, Linn. 

 Locally, Saw-sharpener, etc. 



A common resident, more abundant or 

 more apparent in winter than in summer. 



37. British Coal-Tit. Parus britannicus, 



Sharpe and Dresser. 

 A resident, but local and nowhere common. 



38. British Marsh-Tit. Parus dresseri, Stej- 



neger. 



A common resident. 



39. Blue Tit. Parus cceruleus, Linn. 

 Locally, Pick-cheese and Bluecap. 



A very abundant resident. 



