VOL. XIV.] OTHEK SPECIES OF BIRDS IN KENT. 87 



when compared with the value of the other species. The 

 numbers paid for during the succeeding ten years show what 

 an abundant species it really was. 

 The early entries are : — 



1628-9. 

 Itm to Thomas Kyt the 28 of May for one [i.e. Hedge- 

 hog] & 3 Javes heads . . . . . . . . . . vd. 



1657-8. 

 Paid Stephen Tamset for 3 jeies heads .. .. .. 00 00 02 



1668-9. 

 To Thomas Weller for 3 dossen of Crows heads & 

 Magpies heads & Jayes heads . . . . . . . . 009 



To James Marten for 6 dozen & 4 Crows & Magpies 



heads & Jayes heads & 2 Kytes heads . . . . . . 019 



Two others were paid for in this year. 



In 1672-3 a few were paid for and in 1679-80, two. In the 

 following year, four years later than the commencement of 

 the big vermin campaign, the people seem to have first turned 

 their attention seriously to thinning out the Jays, and the 

 numbers rose to 192. In this and the following nine years 

 no fewer than 2,273 were accounted for, with a maximum in 

 1686-7 o^ 329- No details are available for the following year, 

 but in 1691-2 with the general slackening of effort already 

 referred to, the numbers fell (from 271 in 1689-90) to 30, and 

 in the next two years to three and none. After this nothing 

 more can be said, though the species is mentioned in some of 

 the annual summaries of vermin paid for. 



BuLLFiNXH {Pyrrhula pyrrhula). 



The entries of the Bullfinch are exactly parallel to those of 

 the Jay, and the reward paid for them was the same. It is 

 mentioned for the first time in 1628-9, ^^'^ then not again for 

 fifty 37ears. There are three entries for a total of thirteen in 

 the next year, in the year following a rise to 39 is recorded, 

 while, including this and the nine succeeding years, a total of 

 1,437 were paid for, with a maximum in 1683-4 of 37i- In 

 1691-2 the numbers fall (from 200 in 1689-90) to twelve, and 

 two years later to three. In later years it is mentioned in 

 some of the annual summaries, but no further details can be 

 given. 



The three earliest entries are : — • 



1628-9. 

 Itm to Isaake Symons for the heads of 2 bulfinches . . ijd. 



1678-g. 

 To Tho. Curteis for 4 Bulfinch heads & 2 Kites heads 013 



1679-80. 

 To Tho. Curteis for 8 Bulfinch heads . . . . . . 008 



