VARIOUS NOTES ON BIRDS OF ESSEX. 25
Mr. J. B. Nichols. I had the opportunity of examining the
specimen before it was sold on 11th June, 1929. It was stated
to have been shot by Mr. Eedle. This species can now be fully
admitted to the Essex list.
Coot (Fulica a. atra L.) . A party of about eighty was seen
on the tidal water of the Blackwater, near Bradwell, on 1st
February, 1930.
Migration.—Mr. L. S. Harley informs me that on the
evening of 18th September, 1929, he saw a large flock of birds
perched on the high-tension power lines between Pitsea Station
and Bowers Gifford Church. They appeared to be either
Martins or Swallows, but he could not identify them from the
train. The wires were black with the birds, which occupied
all six lines for over 150 yards, and it was estimated that the
flock must have contained about 10,000 birds.
Mr. P. W. Horn observed a considerable movement at
Southend on 31st October, 1929, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Rooks were mostly in evidence, small parties of from six to
thirty being noticed. Small parties of Skylarks, a few Linnets,
several parties of female Chaffinches, and one party of seven
Song Thrushes, were also noted. The birds were coming across
the estuary from the direction of the Kent coast, the wind
being N.E.
FELSTED DECOY.
Mr. A. Hills has published an article in the Essex Review of
October, 1929, in which he expresses the opinion that the late
Mr. Miller Christy was mistaken in his view that a decoy had
existed in this locality. Although it may yet be proved that
Mr. Christy made an error I am unconvinced by the arguments
adduced by Mr. Hills. The chief point that he makes is that
the ponds referred to in his article are described in the Historical
Monuments as Mill Ponds. If Mr. Christy based his conclusions
on the existence of these ponds nothing more need have been
said, but I have no knowledge that he did so. Some of the
statements used by Mr. Hills to support his opinion call for
comment. He has assumed that all decoys had pipes, but this
is not so, for Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey shows that there were
types without them. The fact that Mr. Hills has "never been
able to find anything . . . remotely resembling a decoy in
shape or character" does not destroy Mr. Christy's argument.