NOTES.
53
Bird Notes.—On several occasions during the months of February and March
large flocks of gulls have appeared in the Roding Valley between Woodford
Bridge and Wanstead. The Common Gull (Larus canus, L.) is a frequent
visitor in cold and stormy weather, but the Blackheaded Gull (Larus ridibundus
L.) is much more uncommon, and has not been seen there for many years. I,
however, obtained a full-grown and handsome specimen of the latter on 21st
March. A number of Curlews (Numenius arquata, L.) have also been seen this
month; and although these are common in the river marshes at the entrance to
the Thames, they are very unusual visitors in our meadows. I saw a Wheatear
(Saxicola ananthe, L.) at Barking Side on the 11th of March. It is perhaps worth
noting that according to the "Essex County Chronicle," of March 16th, "a
number of Herons have lately appeared on the marshes close to Sawbridgeworth
railway station, and have been daily seen wading in the ditches. It is to be hoped
that no over zealous sportsman will molest the unusual visitors."—Walter
Crouch, Wanstead, Essex, March, 1888.
The late Storm. —Have any of our members noticed the very lengthened
period through which the atmosphere was filled with single crystals of snow ? For
about a month back until March 20th, these single crystals, stars, spines, and ice
dust, have been blowing about in the air night and day. They have blown in at
doors and windows, under mats, and through the joints, at the hinges, and
generally through any small crevices there were, especially on the east
and north-east side of the houses. Frozen quite dry, they for the most part,
retained their forms a long time, and showed remarkably clearly those ex-
quisite shapes of six pointed stars, which make snow crystals such beautiful
and interesting objects.—(Rev.) W. Linton Wilson, Chigwell, Essex, March
24th, 1888.
Hypericum androsaemum formerly in Hainault Forest. — In the
"Phytologist" for January, 1858 (No. 33 new series), page 328, the Editor,
Mr. A Irvine, made some remarks on the apparent difference between the
plant figured in Curtis's "Flora Londinensis" as Hypericum androsaemum,
and the E. B. figure 1225; in Curtis the petals being drawn as smaller
and more pointed, the fruit more fleshy and rounded, and the styles much
shorter. He adds :—"Many years ago I used to observe H. androsaemum in
great abundance and very luxuriant on the verge of Hainault Forest, now
disforested. The plant grew on the bank of the hedge which separated the
forest from the fields on the left side of the road between Abridge and Chigwell
and the great Essex road to Chelmsford, through Brentwood. I suppose
it was the same as Curtis's plant. At that period I would not have noticed
the difference between the plants represented in the two great national
works on our indigenous flora.' In Warner's "Plantae Woodfordiensis." the
plant is stated to occur "in Sakes, commonly called Snake's Lane," Wood-
ford. - Ed.
Fossil Elephant at Ilford —In "Science Gossip" for March, 1888 (page
70), the following paragraph (apparently an extract from some newspaper) is
given under the title of "A Relic of the Ages" :—"An extraordinary discovery
of fossils has just been made at Ilford. Some workmen who were at work
extracting clay in the Cauliflower Brickfields, came upon the bones of some large
animal. When found, the bones of the head were almost perfect, and measured
about seven feet round. The fossils were firmly embedded in the clay, resting on
a bed of sand, and their appearance would lead one to suppose that the animal—
presumably an elephant—had fallen head-foremost to the earth and never
again moved. The property has been used as a brick field for about
seven years, it having during that time been excavated to a great extent.
Bones of animals have frequently been found, but a find of such an enormous
relic of by-gone ages is an unprecedented event." The foregoing statement
appears to partake somewhat of the character of "newspaper science," but
perhaps one of our geological readers may be able to afford more precise
information.—Ed.