86 BlUTISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



the payments for them were suspended, as they completely 

 disappear from the accounts in this year, and do not appear 

 once more till 1695-6. After 1694-5 vermin were no longer 

 entered in detail, but it is evident from the total sums paid 

 that, after another period of slackness or partial close season, 

 another effort lasting for several years was made at the 

 beginning of the next century. 



A few transcriptions of the entries out of many hundreds 

 must serve as examples : — 



1655-6. 

 Itm to George Stace and Thomas ffuller for 3 dossen of 

 Crowes & Magpies heads . . . . . . . . .. 00 00 09 



1656-7. 

 Paid Scottford & Edward Pix for 6 dossen of Crow heads 00 01 c6 



1659-60. 

 Imprimis paid by John Stephens to Stephen Huckstepp 

 & boy for 6 dossen & 8 Crows & Magpies heads . . oo oi 08 



1662-3. 

 Payd Henry Jenner for 3 dozen of Crowes and Jack 

 Dawes heads .. .. .. .. .. .. 009 



1680-81. 

 To Goodman ffinch his son for 12 Crowes heads & i 

 Kite .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 005 



1681-2. 

 To Robt. Yovmg for 12 Dawes & 12 Crowes heads .. 006 



1683-4. 

 To John Wiborne for 6 Jaye heads, i hedghog & 3 

 Buzards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. oii 



more i Pulcatts head, i headghogg & 3 Buzards .. o o 10 



more 2 Ravens, 6 Magpyes, 8 Crowes, i doz. of Rookes o o 10 



1685-6. 

 To John Sheder for 4 dozen of Rooks, Crows & Magpies 010 



1687-8. 

 To Tho. Drewe for 2 doz. of Crowes & Rookes heads . . 009 

 To Isaac Cloake for 8 Rooks, 4 Magpies & 2 doz. of 

 Crowes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. oog 



1689-90. 

 To Jeremy Hunt for 2 doz. of Crowes. Pyes & 6 Jayes . . 10 



Jay {Garrulus glandarius). 



During the first fifty-three years of the accounts the Jay 

 only appears sporadically at long intervals. This is difficult 

 to account for, as it must always have been a very numerous 

 bird throughout the Weald as it is to-da}^ and if, as is probable, 

 many of the Crows and Magpies were obtained by trapping 

 and snaring, a certain number of Jays, one would think, must 

 have been caught every year either intentionally or accident- 

 ally. It becomes even more surprising when one considers 

 the high reward of a penny that their heads always fetched. 



