380 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THE EGRET IN BRITAIN. 

 By Frederick J. Stubbs. 



I should like to present a little more evidence bearing on 

 the question of the presence of an Egret in Britain in olden 

 times (c/. ' Zoologist,' ante, p. 150). There need be no further 

 doubt as to the actual breeding of the bird, for I find it 

 mentioned in a most interesting "Act for the Preservation of 

 Grain," passed in 1564 (8 Eliz. c. 15). This Act, itself only 

 temporary, revived portions of an earlier one of 1533, that was 

 only in operation for ten years ; and both were aimed at the " in- 

 numerable nombre of Rookes Crowes and Choughes" [Jackdaws] 

 that " do daily brede and increase throughout this Realrne, which 

 Rookes Crowes and Choughes do yearly destroye devoure and 

 consume a wonderfull and mervellous greate quantitie of corne 

 and greyne," &c. These two Acts command, under penalties, 

 the organized destruction of Rooks and Crows especially, and 

 are interesting as marking the probable origin of the pastime of 

 Rook shooting. 



The 1564 Act ordered the destruction of many other creatures 

 besides Crows, and directed how their slayers were to be re- 

 warded. " For every head of Martyn Hawk,* Fursekytte, Mold- 

 kytte, Buzzard, Schagg, or Ringtail 2d., and for every two of 

 their eggs Id. ... For every head of Iron [Sea Eagle] or 

 Ospraye 4d. ; for the head of . . . Kingsfisher ; . . . Bull- 

 finch or other bird that devoureth the blowth of fruit Id." 

 "Kingsfisher," it is worth noticing, is still in use in parts of 

 the north of England. 



The Fox, Gray [Badger] , Polecat, Wesell, Stote, Fayre bad 

 or wild Catte [?] , Otter, Hedgehogges,t Woodwall [Green Wood- 

 pecker] , Stare, and many others were all game for this parish 



* Hen Harrier, ' Oiseau St. Martin,' Buffon, i. p. 212. 

 f Singular number ? cf. " 3 hedge hodgs, Is. Od." Accounts of Rochdale 

 Parish Church, 1643. 



