170
NOTES.
of the above-mentioned "school" of white-beaked dolphins. They
were first seen by the pilot of the iron railway bridge at Alresford,
and by Mr. Barton, of Alresford Lodge, near the bridge, but whether
the "school" consisted of seven or nine is not quite clear. Mr.
Barton armed himself with his rifle, and, from a punt, shot at several,
and managed to capture two. One specimen was 9 feet 6 inches
long (probably an adult), and the other 6 feet 6 inches, both being
females. One that he shot at got into deeper water, and was picked
up next day by Henry Barr, a fisherman at Wyvenhoe, being 9 feet
6 inches long, adult, sex not noted. Another of his wounded
ones, also 9 feet 6 inches long, was captured by the crew of the
yacht "Valfreyia." Thus, five specimens were taken at one time of
this rare dolphin in our river.
[The fate of Dr. Laver's example of this interesting Cetacean and,
also of many other rare animals, constantly occurring in Essex, points
to the necessity for the establishment of the long-talked-of Local
Natural History Museum, by the Essex Field Club, where such
specimens would be received and conserved. The opportunity of
securing another Essex Delphinus may possibly not occur again, if
there be a "schoolmaster" abroad among the dolphins to warn his
pupils of the end of five of the confiding animals who were so foolish
as to visit the inhospitable waters of the Colne.—Ed.]
Little Gull at West Mersea.—I saw to-day, at Mr. Pettit's, a Little Gull
(Larus minutus, Pallas), shot on October 30th, 1889, at West Mersea. It is a
very good specimen, but it is in immature plumage. This species is, I think, rare
on our coast.—Henry Laver, F.L.S., Colchester, November 2nd, 1889.
Dwarf Form of Euchloe cardamines in Epping Forest.—"On May
22nd, 1889, while insect hunting in Epping Forest, I took a very small male
of this species hovering over the flowers of the Wood-parsley (Anthriscus
sylvestris). The insect is barely 11/8 inch in expanse.—James A. Simes, 4,
Cricketfield Road, Clapton," in "Entomologist" for August.
Immense Congregation of Snakes at Ashingdon.—Reading as follows in
the "Essex Weekly News," of August 23rd, 1889, under Ashingdon :—"On
Thursday, August 15th, as some men at Mr. Jolly's (Moon's Farm) were clearing away
some rubbish out of the stackyard, they came upon a nest of snakes, adders and
sloeworms (sic). They managed to kill 303, and several others made their escape "—
I wrote to get some further particulars of this curious find, and received the fol-
lowing reply from Mr. Thomas Cooper, of Moon's Farm, dated September 2nd :—
"In reply to your letter of the 28th August, there was a large quantity of snakes
found in some cavings in the stockyard on Moon's Farm. I helped a boy to kill
234, and the next day two men killed 69 more, besides destroying a large quantity
of eggs, which would make snakes destroyed 303. We saw no adders, neither have
we seen the report in the paper, so that I cannot say if the report is correct or
not." I see no reason to doubt these facts, which certainly are interesting, and
quite eclipse those in my former note in E. N., i. p. 112. "Cavings," are short
straws, broken ears, &c., left after thrashing. Snakes have run very large this year,
I have had several from 35 to 38 inches long—Edward A. Fitch, Maldon.