NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 139
We have since heard that a female otter, accompanied by another young one,
was smoked out and killed from a drain near the Pyefleet Channel, within sight
of the "Goyants" meadow. It seems quite useless to remonstrate against the
senseless destruction of these interesting animals. The slaughter in this case is
more to be regretted, as I am told by the marshrnen and labourers here that otters
were unknown in the island before this. An East Mersea farmer, whose personal
knowledge of the place extends back fifty years, assured us that he had never
heard of one having been seen.—William Cole, East Mersea.
Seal at Bradwell.—On June 21st, William Linnett shot a seal, which had
been seen there several days previously, just off St. Peter's Chapel Point, Brad-
well. It measured 4ft. 6in in length, 341/2 in. in girth, and weighed 80 lbs. Mr.
Miller Christy and I saw the skin and skull at James Spittey's, Bradwell Water-
side, on July 19th, and we believed it to be the common seal (Phoca vitulina),
but were not sure.—Edward A. Fitch, Maldon.
Stork on the Stour River.—The "Essex County Standard," of September
17th, records that "a few days ago a fine female stork was shot on the River
Stour, near Mistley, by Mr. A. Saunders." No indication of the species is given,
but the editor makes the following remarks : "It is said this stork is the only
specimen known to have appeared in the Stour within living memory [this
statement is not correct]. Considering the sort of reception which they are
likely to get, it is not strange that they are not often seen upon our hospitable
shores. Probably if an angel were to alight upon this island for the purpose of
paying one of those visits which are 'few and far between,' some gallant British
sportsman would at once take aim in order to send the visitor to a taxidermist,
and an account of his own prowess to the local paper. As soon as any uncom-
mon bird or beast turns up it is marked for slaughter, no matter how inoffensive
it may be, or how useful. The animal is shot, not in the interests of science, nor
in the legitimate pursuit of 'sport,' but merely to satisfy curiosity and the
instinct of destruction. It is a pity that this should be so, and we venture to
hope that the next stork which turns up in the Stour may be left unmolested.
At the same time we should strongly advise it to keep away." Since the above
was in type, we find from a communication from Major W. S. Dawson, of Higham
St. Mary, that the bird was a tame White Stork (Ciconia alba), but we retain the
paragraph, as the occurrence may serve to explain some of the records of this
bird in Essex and other counties (see "Birds of Essex," p. 188). Major Dawson
writes ;—"The appearance of a fine female stork in the Mistley marshes a short
time ago, where it was shot by a local 'cachiatore' whilst standing on one leg, I
can account for ; he need not longer feel proud of his performance. For several
months past my children were the happy possessors of a pair of white storks,
which were brought to them from Austria when fledgelings. They grew up quite
tame; would come when called by the names, 'Hans' or 'Delft' ; would fly
away high into the sky at times, soar about round Higham Church, perch there,
and I believe next year would have built their nest upon the square tower had
they been left alone. I had arranged to clip their wings during the time of
migration this autumn. By next spring their wing feathers would have grown
again, and they would have been well contented to remain with us. They were
well known to the people about here, to whom it gave pleasure to watch their
gyrations. Hans has, I hear, met with the same fate as his bride whilst standing
on one leg in another marsh."