134
THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
to do." Round Orsett and Grays, Mr. Sackett says it is very common, breeding*
plentifully. During 1886, he took no less than fifty of its eggs. Mr. Hope says
it is "very plentiful round Upminster." They still breed not uncommonly in the
extensive woods round Thorndon Park, Brentwood and Warley ; and Mr. M.
Vaughan says that (40. iii. 459) " it is fairly common round Finchingfield, and
that for some miles round Felstead there is scarcely a wood where the nest may
not be found." Mr. Fitch states (41. i. 142) that in 1887 there were two nests on
Northey Island. In the Epping Forest district, Edward Doubleday says (15) that
it was " very rarely seen " in his time (1835), but this was probably an error, for
a Londoner describes (28. i. 43) meeting with a nest with four eggs in Hainault
Forest in April, 1851, and Mr. Buxton says (47. 84) that, even now, in the Forest
" a few are always about. * * * They nest in several places in the neighbourhood,"
while in Ongar Park Wood, in 1877, the keeper showed me a couple of old birds
and two young ones taken from a nest there that year. Round Harwich, it is
common, and destroys many eggs of the Wild-duck and sea birds (Kerry). Writ-
ing of the Paglesham district fifty years ago, Dr. Laver says (50. iii. 33) they
were then " very general, and their nests, like those of their near relative the
Raven, were occupied year after year, probably by the same pair of birds."
Mr. Fitch records (40. vii. 471) that on October 2nd, 1883, he disturbed from a
meadow near Maldon, a Crow which rose with some object in its claws. On being
shouted at, the Crow dropped its burden, which proved to be a Lark, partially
eaten.
Hooded Crow: Corvus cornix. Locally, " Dun Crow," "Grey
Crow," " Hoody " and " Grey-back."
A winter visitor, common enough on and near the coast, but
rather rare as a rule inland. Near Chelmsford, I do not often
observe them. It breeds in most parts of Scotland and Ireland, but
very rarely in England, except in the Isle of Man. Cases of hybrid-
ism with the Carrion Crow are not unfrequent in the north, and
common in Central Siberia. It seems that formerly it bred in some
numbers on our coast, but it certainly never does so now, and its
doing so formerly was quite exceptional in this part of England.
Mr. Joseph Clarke, writing of the Saffron Walden neighbourhood about the
year 1845, describes it (24) as " common in winter." In a later note he adds " a
great many here in 1854." I have sometimes seen single specimens or small part-
ies there in winter. Edward Doubleday (15), English (43. i. 24), and Mr. Buxton
(47. 84) all describe it as an occasional winter visitor to Epping Forest, and I saw
two in a keeper's " larder " in Ongar Park Wood in 1877. Both Mr. Grubb and:
Mr. King describe it (20 and 39) as " an occasional winter visitant " to Sudbury,
Lieut Legge says (34. 90) that in 1865 he saw the first at Shoebury on October
28th. They afterwards became plentiful on the saltings. On October 17th, 1879,
I saw one feeding in a stubble field here, and on the following day two near
Lindsell. Mr. Hope says : " It arrives about Sept. 30th, and all through October,
in small parties. The fowlers do not look for fowl until their arrival. In winter
they will seize wounded Plover and other birds before one's eyes." Mr. Fitcb
also tells me that the punt-gunners on the Blackwater find them most daring and
voracious in hard weather. Round Harwich, it is " common in winter, generally
arriving during the first week in October " (Kerry).