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NOTES.
as a slim-shaped cat, and as having a white chest and large bushy tail. I have
several times since been told by my men of the wild cat being seen round
Hazeleigh Hall Wood, and last winter one of my boys told me that as he was
coming to work in the morning he had chased a "master big squirrel" that came
down a tree and ran along Spar Hill ditch towards the wood. As squirrels do not
occur in this neighbourhood I suspect that this animal was a Marten-cat.
On May 16th of this year, my keeper, Lock, told me that he had seen the
Marten-cat on two evenings, and had found its home. That evening found me
with half-a-dozen ferrets, Ben Gowland—the professional rat-catcher—and four
men at the bank. The feathers (including many of the French Partridge) and
remains (including those of the hedgehog and mole and rabbit's abundantly) about
and the work led us to expect a litter of young in the large earth. We ferreted
the bank and certainly heard something at home, that the ferrets would not face.
We then blocked up the holes and commenced to dig out. We all worked hard,
but ineffectually, for three hours, till some time after dark and were thus obliged
to give up ; next morning we commenced again at 3 o'clock, but doubtless the
young had been removed and nothing satisfactory was found in the earth. All
agreed that the earth had not been tenanted by a fox and the dung and remains
satisfied my men and myself that a Marten-cat or badger had been there. Since
then twice the bait has been taken from traps set and the Martens have been seen
on four or five occasions by different men who were set to watch. I shot at some-
thing myself one night but it was too dark and I could not see the longed-for
game sufficiently well to make sure it was a Marten. However, I have no doubt
that Martens exist and have bred this year in Hazeleigh Hall Wood. I still hope
to be able to secure a specimen for the Essex Field Club Museum.—EDWARD A.
Fitch, Maldon.
The Heron's Haunt.—The following extract, full of life and vigour—a veri-
table word-picture—is from an article in the "Daily News" of February 6th, 1890.
It is from the pen of Mr. Francis A. Knight and as it has reference to the
Wanstead Herony, it is especially interesting to us. "Seen far off at his soli-
tary watch by the river, or on the wide levels of the marshland, the heron is a
familiar figure ; well we know his stately flight, when, drifting to his home among
the hills, his wings are dark upon the sunset sky. But on the margin of the
forest where a belt of woodland screens a sheet of quiet water lies 3 little islet,
thick with oaks and birches overgrown, safe sanctuary for teal and wild duck, the
very haunt of coot and hern. The winter sunshine brightens the long strip of
green that lines the shore, lingers on the red bark of graceful fir trees lifting
slender shafts above the underwood, lies in long lines of silver on the quiet pool.
Softly, with silent oars, we glide along the creek in whose still depths are
mirrored stalwart oak and silvered birch tree—a belt of sedge stirs slightly as we
pass—over it lean down the alder boughs tasselled thick with young brown cones'
There is silence everywhere, save for the sighing of the sedge, the rush of the
Roding under its pollard willows hurrying past, and at times the sonorous call of
some heron unseen among the shadows of the island. The rooks, whose still
vacant dwellings crowd the grey arms of yonder ash tree, hold their own on the
very threshold of their powerful neighbours, and in the fatal conflicts between
black and grey renewed each season on the island, the vantage is by no means
always with the tenants of the heronry. Now, on a creek that runs in among the
bushes, a wild duck floats lazily along, a gleam of sunshine lighting up the velvet
of his glossy head. Another moment, and he is ware of danger ; he quickens his