202 NOTES.
monuments in his parish, and any in need of advice or assistance
are recommended to apply to the Hon. Sec. of the Society for Pre-
serving Memorials of the Dead, Mr. W. Vincent, Belle Vue Rise,
Hellesdon Road, Norwich; to Mr. H. W. Macklin, Hon. Sec. to the
Cambridge University Association of Brass Collectors, or, in the case
of armour, to the Hon. Sec. of the Kernoozers Club, Hampstead.
The above statements ought certainly (to use the words of the write
in the "Standard'') "to stimulate the zeal, not of antiquaries—for
they are eager enough—but of those on whose vigilance the anti-
quary must primarily depend. The duty of caring for the dead, and
the memorials which have been erected to their memory, is a statut-
able obligation on the clergy in whose temporary freeholds they rest.
But apart from this duty, no man with the slightest taste or culture
would wish to risk loss or injury to brasses, which, in many instances,
are our only authorities for certain forms of armour, palaeography,
and heraldic designs, not to mention pedigrees and family portraits,
which they provide with approximate accuracy."
Occurrence of the Crane in Essex.—In volume ii of the Essex Naturalist
(p. 271), Dr. Laver recorded the occurrence of several specimens of the Common
Crane (Grus communis) near Elmstead, remarking that the bird obtained was
probably the first specimen ever captured in Essex. In the "Zoologist" for
November (vol. xiii, 3rd. ser., p. 434), Mr. Gervase F. Mathew, R.N., of "Lee
House," Dovercourt, writes as follows:—"While shooting with a party on
September 26th, in the adjoining parish of Little Oakley, I had the pleasure of
seeing a fine specimen of the Common Crane. We were sitting at lunch under a
hedge, when, happening to look up, I noticed—as I first thought —a large heron
flying towards us. It was then about a mile off. Presently I looked up again,
and by that time it had come much nearer, and, to my astonishment, I observed
that the bird held its head and neck stretched out in front of it, as herons never
do, and from its immense size there was no mistaking what it was. It still came
gradually towards us, and appeared to be looking for a place whereon to alight,
for it flapped its great wings several times over its back until they almost ap-
peared to touch, and then glided on with outstretched pinions. This it repeated
several times, and then pitched in the next field, and well in view from where we
sat. It looked a grand bird as it stood upon the grass with the bright sun shining
upon it. Unfortunately it was a long way out in the field, and out of shot from
the hedge. However, I thought I would try and stalk it, so crept down by the
edge of the field we were in, until I reached a gap near the bottom, through which
I crawled into the next field, where I was well out of sight of it. I then went on
until I arrived nearly opposite to where I supposed it to be standing, then looked
through cautiously, and had a fine view of it. It was about 150 yards off, and
appeared to be an old bird in perfect plumage Of course it was no use firing at
such a distance, but I thought if I went on a few yards further, and crawled
through a gap, and ran upon it, I might get within shot before it rose, or that it
might fly towards me. But while I was thinking of this it took wing, and flew
right away from me towards some salt marshes, where it pitched again. I followed
to the bank, and, upon looking over, saw it about a mile off standing upon some
bare mud. Soon after it was fired at by some one from a boat which was in a creek
near at hand ; and it then flew off to the westward, and I lost sight of it."