268
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
Gibson in his Flora of Essex (1862). Also, close to the Toothwort
Mr. Jermyn found a strong colony of the Large Bitter-Cress,
Cardamine amara L.
It is pleasing to report that Mr. R. M. Payne has continued
to find various Ferns in the county. His discovery of a fine colony
of the Oak Fern Thelypteris dryopteris (L.) Slosson, on an old
wall is of especial interest, as is his discovery of a colony of Lady
Fern Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth., within two miles of the
Club's headquarters. This last is, I feel, a challenge to the other
members to look around to see what else has been missed. Mr.
Payne has recently prepared an account of the ferns of Epping
Forest, and we hope he will extend his researches to cover the
Fern population of the whole county. Although Essex may not
be so well furnished with numbers of ferns, we do have quite a
wide variety. At Thaxted we saw the roof of a building some
square yards in extent completely covered with a strong growth
of the Common Polypody, Polypodium vulgare L. Notes of ferns
should be accompanied by a pressed ripe fertile frond including
the whole of the rachis down to the crown.
The following less usual plant observations have been taken
from notes kindly provided by various members and other
botanists. Rumex maritimus L., was abundant at a water-filled
gravel pit at Fisher's Green, near Waltham Abbey. Mr. Saunders
reports Cynosurus echinatus L., the Hedgehog grass from road-
sides near Aveley, and Berula erecta (Huds.) Coville, along the
River Stort, also a single plant of Verbascum virgatum Stokes,
on the roadside near Latchingdon. Two unusual plants, Tellima
grandiflora Br. and Hedera colchica K. Koch, at Great Warley are
both probably relics from Miss Wilmot's famous garden at that
place.
The Dawn Chorus in Essex
By M. T. Parker
EVERYONE interested in birds is familiar with the volume of
song which rises to a maximum during the months of April,
May, and June. It is during these months that the Dawn Chorus
is most noticeable, and towards the end of May it is at its best.
It was at the request of members of the Brentwood School
Field Club that records were first started in 1952. Since 1952 the
Dawn Chorus has become an annual Field Club activity. After
eight years of records it is now possible to sum up the results.
Method
Records were obtained by simply noting the time when a bird
was first heard singing. This method has been adopted for all