BIRDS 



108. Roller. Caractas garrulus, Linn. 



A very rare straggler. One shot at Great 

 Chesterford in 1865 is now in the Saffron 

 Walden Museum. 



109. Bee-Eater. M 'traps apiaster, Linn. 



A very rare straggler. One was shot at 

 Peering about June 21, 1854, and another 

 has been seen near Wanstead (see Birds of 

 Essex, p. 150). 



no. Hoopoe. I] pupa epops, Linn. 



A not uncommon though somewhat irregu- 

 lar passing migrant, at least one example 

 being met with almost every year. It is 

 most often seen during the latter half of April 

 or early in May ; but it sometimes occurs in 

 autumn, usually during September. It has 

 bred in some other of the southern counties, 

 but no instance of its having done so in Essex 

 has been recorded. Its frequent appearance 

 in pairs in spring leaves no doubt, however, 

 that it would do so occasionally if not so 

 mercilessly shot. 



in. Cuckoo. Cucultu canorui, Linn. 

 A common summer visitor. 



112. White or Barn-Owl. Strix ftammea, 

 Linn. 



A fairly common resident in most parts of 

 the county. No British bird more richly 

 deserves the protection of landowners, farmers, 

 and game preservers. All such should strictly 

 enjoin their gamekeepers and other servants 

 on no account to molest it. Its food consists 

 almost exclusively of rats, mice, voles and 

 shrews, though occasionally small birds are 

 eaten. The damage it does to game is in- 

 considerable : its services to the farmer are 

 immense. 



113. Long-eared Owl. Asia otus (Linn.). 



A resident, though in very small numbers, 

 except at Alresford, where it breeds freely 

 (Laver). Better known as an uncommon 

 winter visitor. 



114. Short-eared Owl. A sit accipitrinus 

 (Pallas). 



Locally, Woodcock Owl, Cabbage Owl, etc. 

 A winter visitor, common in some years, 

 especially those in which the short-tailed field 

 vole (Microtus agrestis) is abnormally abundant, 

 but usually uncommon. Of late years how- 

 ever it has been known to breed on the Essex 

 marshes on several occasions as at Little 

 Oakley from 1884 to 1897 (Kerry), on 

 Northey Island in 1896 (Fitch, Zoologist, 

 1896, p. 233), and at Bradwcll-on-Sca. 



115. Tawny Owl. Syrnium aluco (Linn.). 

 A resident, but local and not common, 



though fairly numerous in some of our more 

 extensive woods, where, however, it is much 

 persecuted by game-preservers. 



1 1 6. Tengmalm's Owl. Nyctala tengmalmi 

 (Gmelin). 



A rare and accidental straggler to Britain. 

 One was killed at Poplar at the end of January, 

 1877 (Zoologist, 1877, p. 176). 



117. Little Owl. Athene noctua (Scopoli). 



A rare and occasional visitor which has 

 occurred several times in the county. All 

 now met with must be regarded with sus- 

 picion, as many have been turned out of late 

 years. 



1 1 8. Snowy Owl. Nyctea scandiaca (Linn.). 

 A rare and occasional winter visitor which 



is said to have been seen in the county several 

 times (see Birds of Essex, p. 159). 



119. Scops-Owl. Scops giu (Scopoli). 



A rare and occasional visitor. Some five 

 or six examples are recorded as having occur- 

 red in the county. There is also some reason 

 to think a pair may have bred more than 

 once between the years 1886 and 1889 

 in the vicinity of Heydon, but the evidence 

 is far from conclusive (see Essex Natura- 

 list, iii. 17). 



1 20. Eagle-Owl. Bubo ignavus, T. Forster. 



Said to have been seen in the county (sec 

 Birds of Essex, p. 161). The individuals 

 observed had perhaps escaped from confine- 

 ment. 



121. Egyptian Vulture. Neophron percnopterus 

 (Linn.). 



An occasional straggler to Britain. On 

 September 28, 1868, an immature individual 

 was shot at Peldon (Zoologist, 1868, p. 1456). 



1 22. Marsh - Harrier. Circus teruginosus 

 (Linn.). 



Formerly a common resident, breeding in 

 numbers, especially in the marshy districts 

 near the coast : now only an occasional visi- 

 tor though not very rare. 



1 23. Hen-Harrier. Circus cyaneus (Linn.). 

 As the preceding. 



124. Montagu's Harrier. Circus cintraceus 

 (Montagu). 



Also as above, but less often met with. 



243 



