ARDEIDAE—HERONS.
185
Purple Heron : Ardea purpurea.
A rare and accidental straggler to Britain, of which only one
specimen is recorded as having been certainly met with in Essex.
Mr. C. Walford records (19. 126) a fine specimen shot during the second week
in April, 1839, in a wood near Maldon. He adds : " It was very low in flesh
when killed, not weighing more than two pounds six ounces." A specimen which
Selby says (British Ornithology, ii. 15, note) was killed "near London," is very
likely to have been obtained in Essex, but no locality is given.
Great White Heron : Ardea alba.
A rare and accidental straggler to Great Britain. The only record
of its appearance in Essex is the following :
Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear write (9.40) :—
"On the 3rd of October last [? 1823], in a walk on the bank? of the River
Stour, we observed a large White Heron cross over from the Suffolk to the Essex
side of the river. It appeared to be pure white, and to stand up rather taller than
some common Herons which were feeding not far off. A similar bird was ob-
served in the spring on the Oakley shores ; and, subsequently to our observation,
one was seen on the banks of the River Orwell."
Little Bittern : Ardetta minuta.
A somewhat rare visitant to Britain, which has occurred at least
half-a-dozen times in Essex, chiefly during the autumn or early
winter.
C. E. Smith, of Cogges-
hall, in 1860, mentions
one (31. 52) "shot by
Mr. Sach of the Abbey
Farm." Dr. Bree re-
cords (29 ; 32a ; and
34. 517), "a male, in
good plumage," shot on
Aug. 13th, 1866, just
above North Bridge,
Colchester. He adds :
" I never heard of one
being captured here be-
fore," and says further
that it was added to his
Collection. Mrs. Bree
still has it. Henry
Doubleday has recorded
(34. 4199) that a young
specimen, probably a
male, having just com-
pleted its first autumnal
moult, was shot at Pass-
ingford Bridge on Sept.
15th, 1874, after having
been seen about for sev-