106
THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
" It is very common in Essex. I have reared young birds, and have copious
notes. I have seen the old birds kill as many as five field-mice in one day. They
lift the mouse up on their beaks and hitch it on to a thorn and then pull it
downwards with all their weight and strength. I think they are put on thorns
for the convenience of eating at the time, as they seldom finish any animal.
They can kill another bird, or one another, by one stroke of the bill."
Woodchat Shrike: Lanius pomeranus.
A rare and irregular summer visitor to England. I only know
of a single instance on record of its having been actually obtained in
Essex.
Mr. Ambrose tells me that seven
teen or eighteen years ago he saw
an undoubted specimen one Sunday
afternoon in the Colchester High-
woods, but he had no gun at the time.
Mr. Travis records (44. i. lxiii.)
that on August 27th, 1880, he re-
ceived for preservation " a pair
of Woodchat Shrikes shot by a
man named Jeffrey, between Elm-
don and Arkesden. A boy driving
sheep into Walden was accosted by
Jeffrey, who had a gun. He gave
the birds to the boy, remarking
that they were ' a pretty pair, and
perhaps the birdstuffer might give
something for them.'" Mr. Travis adds, "I received them within two hours of
their death, quite fresh and hardly stiff. These are the first specimens of this very
rare bird I have heard of as occurring in Essex." I have personally inspected
these specimens, which are undoubtedly a fine pair, male and female.
Mr. Pettitt informs me that, some years ago, on a farm near Mark's Tey,
held by his uncle, Mr. Bickmore, the late Dr. E. G. Varenne saw a pair of
birds which he pronounced to be male and female of this species. Dr.
Varenne is now dead, but as he was a good naturalist, the record is worthy of
some credence.
Family AMPELIDAE.
Waxwing: Ampelis garrulus.
A rare and irregular winter visitor, though it sometimes appears
in considerable numbers, as in the years 1835, 1849-50, 1866, &c.
Mr. Clarke mentions (24) two specimens from Saffron Walden (both now
in the museum there ?), a male shot in August, 1835, the other about 1838.
Yarrell says one (30. i. 417) was killed by Mr. Clarke out of a flock. Mr.
C. Walford records (19. 57) that several were shot at Braxted, one at Terling,
and another at Kelvedon in or about 1838. King describes it (20) as "a very
rare visitant" to Sudbury. Newman records (23. 2767) specimens from
Chelmsford, Rainham, and many other localities round London in the third