186
NOTES.
AE. berberidis, D.C. On Berberry. Audley End.
AE. violae, Schum. On Violets. Chingford.
AE. crassum, Pers. On Rhamnus. Audley End.
AE. taraxaci, Kunze. On Taraxacum. Chingford.
AE. lapsanae, West. On Lapsana. Loughton.
Cystopus cubicus, Strauss. On Tragopogon. Audley End.
C. candidus, Lev. On Cruciferae. Common.
Boulder at Brentwood.—I have just come across the following newspaper
cutting, which may be of interest in connection with Mr. Rowe's paper (Essex
Naturalist, i., 117). It is probably from the "Chelmsford Chronicle "of about
1838:—"Amongst the relics of other days brought to light by the excavations going
on on the line of the Eastern Counties Railway are some that cannot fail to prove
of interest and advantage to the student of geology. Amongst them great
quantities of submarine shells embedded in blue clay have been turned up at
Brentwood. One lump of a ton weight was found the other day, which, however
was broken to pieces by the men, but some of it has been polished and sold at
high prices for chimney ornaments, and the curious, we understand, may see
specimens of it at the library of Mr. Brown of that place."—Edward A. Fitch,
Maldon, July 10th, 1887.
Badgers formerly at Maldon.—The united parishes of All Saints and St.
Peter, Maldon, contain but 1,675 acres and include the greater part of the town.
There is now no woodland, but at the dates referred to below, there was a small
wood on Maldon Hill. The abundant entries referring to badgers in the church-
wardens' old accounts is noteworthy from such a locality. The price paid for this
so called "vermin" seems to have been uniformly a shilling a head, as for a fox.
In 1716 five badgers and three foxes together with five cubs were paid for in May
and August. In 1717 eight badgers and three young foxes. In 1718 seven
badgers and ten foxes. In 1719 a young badger, on May 22nc, and a young fox.
In 1720 four badgers and five foxes. In 1721 three badgers and eight foxes. In
1722 three badgers and seven foxes. In 1723 eleven foxes. In 1724 seven foxes.
In 1725 two badgers and fifteen foxes. In 1726 two badgers and two foxes. In
1727 a badger and a fox. In 1729 a badger and two foxes. In 1730 four badgers,
three caught by the same man (Porter) on May 7th, May 15th, and June 15th.
Will. Giffen caught the other on May 8th. In 1731 eight foxes. In 1732 three
badgers and seven foxes. In 1733 five foxes. In 1734 three foxes. In 1735 a
badger. In 1736 a badger and two foxes. In 1737 three badgers and three foxes.
In 1740 two badgers and a fox. In 1748 a badger and a fox. In 1749 three
foxes. In 1750 a fox. Nothing paid for the next four years. This record shows
that both badgers and foxes, especially the former, were gradually becoming
scarcer from 1716 to 1754. The entries are all separately dated, and in most
cases the name of the recipient of the head money is given. The orthography
throughout these accounts is often curious, and badger was not apparently a well-
known word to the townsmen. It is spelled correctly till 1720, when James
Offin (alias Ougham) introduces "bager"; for the next three years Edward Berry
writes "bagger"; in 1730 Nathaniel Godsafe gets to "beager," and in 1732
John Hance comes with "bageth"; in 1737 John Strutt writes "baggett."—
Edward A. Fitch, Maldon.
Badger near Ilford.—Early in the present year a badger was shot in an
outhouse on the property of Mr. Graves, which joins the north side of Ilford
railway station. The man who shot it mistook it for a cat. It may also be of
interest to mention that in June last a tame Duyker Bok ("Diving Goat" or
Antilope, of South Africa), made its escape from Little Gearies, Barkingside. It
has been seen several times lately ; on the last occasion near Tom's Wood, Clay-
bury. Perhaps some of our hunting friends may come across it in the approach-
ing season.—Robert Lodge, Great Gearies, Ilford, August 20th, 1887.