TURDIDAE—WARBLERS. 85
the year, especially in the Wanstead Park Woods." It breeds not uncommonly in
both the Colchester and Paglesham districts (Laver), At Harwich it is scarce
during the breeding season, though often numerous during migration (Kerry).
Mr. Hope writes : Migratory individuals arrive " on the Essex coast in vast
flocks and singly about the 10th of October ; I have had them fly aboard when
off the Sunk lightship, so tame that they would hop all over one, apparently
looking for water to drink ; it breeds at Havering."
Fire-crest: Regulus ignicapilius.
A rare and accidental visitor.
A specimen " taken by a bird-
catcher, at Epping, 26th Novem-
ber, 1878, is preserved * * * in the
British Museum " (Buxton—47. 91).
Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., records (40.
225) 1888, the occurrence of five
specimens (three of which are in the
possession of a Mr. Thos. Sorrell)
in the month of November, some
years ago, among about seventy Gold-
crests taken on the Galloper L.V. Mr.
E. R. Green, of Ilford, informs me
that he shot specimens " in a small
wood close to Barking Side," but, fire-crest, 1/2.
though preserved, they were accidentally destroyed.
Chiffchaff: Phylloscopus rufus. Locally, "Oven-builder."
A regular summer visitant, though by no means common and
decidedly local in Essex. Its name is derived from its familiar note.
Of all our spring migrants, it is the earliest to arrive, being sometimes
heard before the middle of March. In 1878, Dr. Bree both saw
and heard it in his garden at Colchester, as early as March 5th (29.
Mar. 9). In 1881, I heard the first on April 4th, near Audley End.
In 1883, I did not hear the first here until April 7th.
At Sudbury, it is only a very occasional visitor (Grubb—39). Round Pagles-
ham it is common (Wiseman). Round Harwich it is also " common," and may
be heard every spring in the Wrabness woods (Kerry). It is common in both
the Colchester and Paglesham districts (Laver). In the extensive woods about
Danbury and in the Writtle and Blackmore Highwoods, it is fairly abundant, but
I have never once heard its note round my own home, at Chignal St. James, for
several years past. Mr. Sackett has taken undoubted eggs at Orsett.
Willow-Warbler: Phylloscopus trochilus.
A very common summer visitor, arriving usually about the first
week in April, and remaining until the middle of September. It
breeds, I believe, abundantly throughout the county. It is very