320 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
Montagu's Harrier at Shalford.—On the 5th September, 1929,
a farm-hand brought to me a young male montagu, which was picked up
dead in a tall elm tree at the Tan Office Farm. The bird measured 19
inches in length, and was in beautiful plumage of the richest colouring,
but badly attacked by the fly and I thought too far gone for preservation.
However, Mr. John Pettitt, the Naturalist (who has now returned to the
haunts of his youth at Horkesley), attacked the problem with his accus-
tomed skill and has produced a life-like setting. He reports that there
was no trace of shot or injury in the body, and I can only suppose that
the bird had picked up a bit of poison. It is now in my son's collection
at Bocking in company with another young montagu of a deep red hue,
which was unfortunately shot at Wigborough in October, 1925 (vide
Glegg's Birds of Essex, p. 141). Alfred Hills.
Colouring of French Partridge.—Mr. P. E. Vaizey, J.P., of
"Attwoods," Halstead, has two French partridges of unusual colouring
shot by him at Tilbury Hall, in North Essex, in the years 1906 and 1912.
One is of a pale fawn colour, resembling a Pallas' sand-grouse, but with
the usual markings in darker tones, against which the red patch behind
the eye is very pronounced. An extremely beautiful variety. The other
is a very pronounced case of melanism, in fact of so dark a chocolate as
to be almost black. Alfred Hills.
Chaffinch Albino.—Mr. Frank Vaizey, J.P., of "Lyndhurst,"
Halstead, has a white chaffinch, with a few dark feathers in the wings,
shot at Halstead in the year 1896. Albino specimens of this bird seem
to be very rare. Mr. Glegg (ib., p. 30) reports three partial albinos, as
well as a cinnamon variety, and one of a light yellow colour with white
bars on its wings. Mr. John Pettitt, from his vast experience, tells me
that he has handled one nearly white. Alfred Hills.
Some Interesting Bird Notes.—Mr. Vaizey, of Halstead, supplies
the following interesting records :—
Rook. Corvus f. frugilegus L. One, silver-grey, was obtained at Attwoods,
Halstead, in 1894. One, buff-coloured, was observed at Tilbury
Hall in 1902.
Goldfinch x Linnet Hybrid. Obtained at Attwoods in 1894.
Peregrine. Falco p. peregrinus Tunst. One, observed at The Howe,
Halstead, in 1894. One, observed at Tilbury Hall in 1906.
Osprey. Pandion h. Haliaetus (L.). One, observed at Gosfield Lake
in 1908.
Bean-Goose. Anser f. fabalis (Lath.). One, obtained at Nurse "Wood,
Chappel, in 1927.
Stone Curlew. Burhinus o. oedicnemus (L.). One, obtained at Stoke-
by-Clare, Suffolk, in 1929.
Quail. Coturnix c. coturnix (L.). Two obtained. One at Gestingthorpe
in 1895, one at Tilbury Hall in 1904 ; and one. observed at Attwoods
in 1928.
Common Partridge. Perdix p. perdix (L.). Three partial albinos were
observed at The Howe, Halstead ; Knights, Colne Engaine ; and
Holfield Grange, Coggeshall.
One light ranck (cinnamon) English Partridge obtained at Tilbury
Hall, 1910.
One Black French Partridge obtained at Toppesfield, 1804.
Alfred Hills.
END OF VOL. XXII.