OF THE BECONTREE HUNDRED. 211
meadows, Wanstead, and Barking Side; fairly common. One
specimen only of the ribbed variety, costata, Muller, in meadow on
Nightingale Farm, Wanstead.
Bulimus obscurus, Muller. In moist and shady ditches and
hedgerows, Redbridge Lane, Wanstead ; fairly common.
Pupa umbilicata, Draparnaud. Ditto ; not plentiful.
Vertigo antivertigo, Drap. At the roots of damp grass in
meadows, St. Swithin's Farm, Barking Side ; a few specimens. The
Vertigos are difficult to find, being so minute.
V. pygmaea, Drap. Ditto ; common.
V. substriata, Jeffreys. Ditto ; two specimens.
Balea perversa, L. On moss and moist leaves, Redbridge
Lane, Wanstead ; not abundant.
Clausilia rugosa, Drap. Ditto.
Cochlicopa (Zua) lubrica, Muller. In brushwood, moss,
decayed leaves, and moist meadows, Wanstead and Barking Side ;
extremely abundant in some years, when I have seen dead shells
lying by the hundred after a flood in the Roding.
Carychium minimum, Muller. In dead leaves and roots of
grass, Roding Meadows, and Wanstead Park ; fairly common.
Uncommon Birds in Essex.—I saw, on December 6th, 1890, at Mr.
Pettitt's, our local taxidermist, the following birds, mostly in the flesh, and
judging from these specimens our late cold weather would seem to have been of
the same character in higher latitudes. The first specimen, a Shore-lark
(Otocorys alpestris), was shot at Burnham. The second, an immature Sea-eagle
(Haliaetus albicilla), was a local capture, but the owner declined to give any
information of the how, when, and where. A Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) from
St. Osyth. Two Swans (Cygnus bewicki) in full plumage (three others were
killed at the same shot) off Brightlingsea. One Smew (Mergus albellus) also from
the same locality, as was also a Great Northern Diver (Colymbus glacialis). And
last a Black-throated Diver (Colymbus arcticus) shot near Mersea. On December
30th Mr. Pettitt had again some freshly killed birds, and as they were of local
occurrence it may be worth while recording them. They were two Eiders
(Somateria mollissima) male and female, immature; several Tufted Ducks
(Fuligula cristata) ; one Bean Goose (Anser segetum) ; one Bittern (Botaurus
stellaris), this contained three eels, each about fourteen inches long ; and one Snow
Bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis).—Henry Laver, F.L.S., Colchester.