20
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
received by the Zoological Society that a large bird of prey had
been seen between Navestock and Theydon. The information
was passed on to me and at the earliest opportunity, 15th
December, I set out to search for the bird and must consider
myself very fortunate to have found it. The eagle was perched
boldly on the top of a partially decayed tree beside the Roding,
just above Passingford Bridge. It was either a White-tailed or a
Golden Eagle. I had taken with me my telescope in the hope
of being able to determine the species, but, on moving quietly
under the hedge to get the telescope ready, the great bird flew
off low down and in spite of a hard search I saw no more of it.
The bird was probably a White-tailed Eagle. It is of interest that
one remained at Finchingfield for several weeks in January and
February, 1926, and that one was seen at Navestock in February,
1928. It is not improbable that it was the same bird which
appeared on each occasion.
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron p. percnopterus (L.)) I had
the pleasure to see the Essex specimen, finding it still in good
condition, when it was sold for £6 at the sale of Mr. J. B. Nichols's
collection on 11th June, 1929. It is now in the Booth Museum,
Brighton.
Spoonbill (Platalea l. leucorodia L.). Mr. P. M. Meeson, who
is known to me personally and with whose identification I am
satisfied, writes to me that on 27th December, 1929, he was
shooting with a friend on the Rochford Marshes. No duck
came into flight, and as he was walking to the river to drive
a brackish fleet back to his friend a Spoonbill rose from the
fleet, and after passing out of sight round a bend, returned and
came to within 50 yards of where he stood. After circling
round two or three times the bird settled on the marsh on the
other side of the Roach. Winter dates, although unusual, are
not unprecedented. (See A History of the Birds of Essex.)
Bittern (Botaurus s. stellaris (L.)). Mr. H. Collar informs
me that one was shot at Great Sampford on 7th January, 1929.
The bird, which is a good specimen, has been set up by Farren
of Cambridge and is now in the Saffron Walden Museum.
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor (Gm.)). Mr. A. E. Macandrew tells
me that he has added to his collection a male Polish Swan
which is an aberrant form of the Mute Swan. The owner states
that the bird was shot between Mersea and Brightlingsea at the