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NOTES ON THE RAVEN IN ESSEX.
By Edward A. Fitch, F.L.S.
Mr. Gurney's plea for the Essex Ravens (E. N. i, p. 182) is sadly
needed, and I sincerely wish that we had some means of enforcing
the protection he asks for in the interest of these fine birds. During
the present year, Mr. Harting, Mr. Belfrage, and myself saw the
Ravens (a pair) on Osey shore on February 25th, and on Northey
on May 22nd ; for the whole day a pair were fighting the kestrels and
crows that had this year nested on the island. Although seen on
both islands they nested on neither. On April 15th Mr. Christy,
Messrs. Freeman, and myself went to visit, as we hoped, the Osey
nest. We found the old nest lying in the ditch where it had been
seen the year before, and Jordan (the resident) told us the ravens
were on the island almost every day, and they had commenced a
nest at the east end, which we saw, far removed from their old
quarters. This they had abandoned, and he told us they must be
nesting this year over the water, he believed on Northey. I found
this nest, as I thought, on Brick House Farm, Mundon —the same
nest from which Newman has a young one, taken last year. On my
second visit I found the tree (an elm) cut down, purposely to destroy
the young ravens, but it was found that the nest had not been used
this year, so that no harm was done, except to the tree. The same
day I found the nest with the old bird on in a hedgerow elm, between
Iltney and White House farms, Mundon. Upon inquiring, I found
that the tenant of Iltney (Mr. Isaac Granger) knew of it, but
was most anxious not to disturb the nest. So here even supersti-
tion had its bright side. The tenant of White House (Mr. Daniel
Mead) knew nothing of it. I was thus hopeful that it was safe, as
the event proved, but this is the only nest I can hear of that has
escaped destruction this year.
To return to the Osey nest—a thing of the past I fear. The
following is the tale of young that have been taken from this nest in
past years by the same persons, generally on Easter Monday. In
1882, one (the rest had flown); in 1883, four; in 1884, none (the
visit was too late, the young ones had gone; in 1885, three; in 1886,
four ; in 1887, four and three of a second brood (see E. N. i. 142);
in 1888, four; there was a second brood, which was not only taken
by strangers, but the nest was destroyed, and thrown into the ditch
beneath the tree. Thus twenty-three young have been taken in
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