292 NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
disporting himself would alone be sufficient to draw visitors by the thousand.
But such a thing can never be, we are afraid, while our present system
prevails."
Number of Deer in Epping Forest.—Since the census of the Deer in
Epping Forest on April 30th, 1896, recorded in the Essex Naturalist (ante
p. 39) another estimation has been made by the order of the Epping Forest
Committee, In the Report of the Committee for 1897 it is stated that "on
the morning of the 24th March, 1897, there were counted 206 Fallow and
25 Roe Deer, and in the evening of the same day 199 Fallow and 21 Roe Deer."
This shows a very satisfactory increase in the forest herds of fallows, and it
is particularly pleasing to record that the pretty little Roe Deer are also
fulfilling the divine command to increase and multiply.
PISCES.
Mackerel (Scomber seemlier, L.J in the Crouch River.—According to
a report in the Essex County Chronicle of the high tide on November 29th, a
specimen of the Mackerel was caught after the flood at Battles Bridge,
presumably forced up the river by the incoming flood. The occurrence is not
authenticated by any naturalist, but it may be worth noting, as the fish is
very seldom seen on our Coast.
Salmon, Sea Trout, Sturgeon, and Halibut off Fowlness Island.—
In a letter to Dr. Laver, Mr. H. L. Matthams says that Salmon (Salmo salar)
are more frequent off the coast of Fowlness than is generally known. Few
years pass without young fish being captured in the "Keedles" ("Kiddles"
Or " Kettles," fixed seines or weirs for taking fish). They are mostly small,
from two to six pounds. He also reports that now and again a Sea Trout
(Salmo trutta) is taken. Within his own knowledge also, the Kiddles have
intercepted during the last few years, in addition to the ordinary fish,
Sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) and Halibut (Hippoglossus vulgaris). This last is
an addition to the Essex fish list; it is not recorded in Laver's Mammals,
Fishes, &c., of Essex, and Dr. Laver writes that he has never seen a Halibut
taken on the Essex coast. The fish usually lives in rather deeper water;
it is frequent on the Dogger-Bank, and great quantities are taken in the
Norwegian seas.
Large Pike (Esox lucius) in the Lea River.—Mr. W. G. Ganatt, of
"Walton Lodge," Hertford, writes to the Field that on March 11th he took
from the Lea a Pike of 241b. weight and 401/2 inches long.
AVES.
The Heronry in Wanstead Park.—You may like to know that there
are 50 effective Herons' nests in Wanstead Park this spring as against 48 last
year. Their rivals, the rooks, have greatly mutiplied, there being 430 nests
on the Heronry Island this year, an increase of about 10 per cent, on last
season. On the 1st March the keeper thought he could hear young herons
chirping. I was very sceptical, but the next day he found the broken eggs on
the ground. The young birds can now, on April 1st, fly from tree to tree.
This is unusually early.—E. N. Buxton, "Knighton," Buckhurst Hill,
April 3rd, 1898.