GLAREOLIDAE—PRATINCOLE.
233
still breeds regularly on Mr. Jonas's land at Chrishall Grange, and that he has
several clutches of the eggs taken in that neighbourhood. Several were seen
there in May, 1889, and two were killed by a Falcon (29. May 11), Dr. Bree says
(29) a young specimen was shot by Captain Ind at Birch on Sept. 19th, 1878. He
adds : "We rarely see this bird in the inland portion of our county." King, of
Sudbury, described it (20) in 1838 as "a not uncommon summer visitant, but of
extremely retired habits." One was shot in Nov., 1887, by some gentlemen partridge-
shooting at Bulvan. In Jan., 1889, one was shot on the marshes near Stratford
(40. xiii. 106). Mr. Sackett has informed me of one shot at Burstead, about
Nov. 20th, 1887, and of two others shot at Bulvan and Stifford respectively,
but it never breeds in that neighbourhood. Mr. Kerry received one, shot at
Bradfield, near Harwich, on Oct. 10, 1880 (40. v. 26), The Rev. J. C. Atkinson
states that he never heard of its breeding nearer to Essex than Bury St. Edmunds.
Family GLAREOLIDAE.
Collared Pratincole : Glareola pratincola.
A rare and irregular straggler to Britain from the south of Europe.
There is, I believe, only a single record of it in Essex.
Mr. Henry Shaw, of High Street, Shrewsbury, records (29. Aug. 31, 1861)
that a specimen
"was shot by Capt. the Hon. G. R. C. Hill, about a fortnight back, in Essex,
whilst out Duck-shooting ; it is a fine bird, and had much the appearance of
having recently sat upon eggs. The stomach was full of small beetles. Its
appearance on the wing was much like that of the genus Hirundo. It is now
with me for preservation, and will in due course be placed in the Collection of the
Viscount Hill at Hawkstone."
Lord Hill has been good enough to inform me that the specimen, an adult
female, is still in his possession, while his brother, the Hon. Geoffrey R. C. Hill,
writes me that he cannot now remember the name of the parish wherein he shot
the bird, but that at the time he
" was shooting ' flappers ' on the Kelvedon Marshes with Mr. Philip Bennett
(who was in the Blues with me at that time), and I rather fancy the marshes
belonged to, or were leased by, his father, of Rougham Hall, Bury St. Edmunds.
There was a decoy there in those days, and very close to that, as we were walking
up the side of the ditches after Ducks, I saw a single bird coming over my head.
Not knowing what it was I shot at it, and not being any the wiser after I had
got it in my hand, I asked leave to keep it and sent it to Mr. H. Shaw, of 45,
High Street, Shrewsbury, for preservation for my brother's museum. I may have
stated to him at that time more particulars than I am now able to give you."
From the above, it seems probable that the bird was shot close to the Decoy
on the Old Hall Marshes, Tollesbury.
[Cream-coloured Courser: Cursorius gallicus.
Another rare and irregular straggler to Britain, where it is generally
met with in the autumn. The bird does not seem ever to have been
actually obtained in Essex, but an example has occurred on the border.
Edward Newman writes (29. Oct. 30, 1858 ; and 23. 6309) :—
" I am indebted to Mr. Cooper, of No. 28, Radnor Street, St. Luke's,
for sending me in the flesh a very perfect specimen of that rare bird, the
Cursorius isabellinus of naturalists. It was shot in the Hackney Marshes,
on the 19th of October, by Mr. George Beresford, of the White House
Fishery. The bird was exceedingly tame, probably tired with a long
flight."