246 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
code of signals, however expressed, is not only intelligible but thoroughly
understood and implicitly acted on by every bird in the flock."
Mr. Hope observes that they can be seen on our coasts all the year
round, but do not breed, as far as he knows. Yarrell, too, says it has not been
known (37. iii. 380) to breed in Essex, Norfolk or Suffolk, though its nest has
been taken in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Northumberland. Mr. John Basham,
jun., of Maldon, informs me of an enormous bag of these birds made by his father
one night about forty years ago, when he killed by a single discharge of his gun
no less than 24 dozen out of a flock settled on the ice. This was the number
actually obtained, but he thinks the gulls and crows took several dozen for
themselves. Josiah Pitt, of Maldon, once shot 25 dozen at a single shot. Mr.
Parsons also mentions having killed 33 by one discharge of his punt gun on
the New England Saltings on Nov. 25, 1836.
Little Stint: Tringa minuta.
A not-uncommon shore-bird when on migration in spring and
autumn.
Sheppard and Whitear state
(9. 43) that they had " killed it on
Ray Island in the River Stour."
In the Parson; Collection are
specimens shot on New England
on Aug. 27th, 1835, and Sept. 6th,
1836. Mr. Bond met with a few
specimens at Southend late in Aug.,
1842 (23. 40). It " has once, at
least, been procured near Epping.
The specimen referred to is in the
British Museum " (Buxton—47..
97). Round Harwich, Mr. Kerry
says it is rare, but two in his Collec-
tion were shot there, and five were shot in the autumn of 1889. Mr. Hope
observes that for a few days in April, and again in October, when on migration,,
they may be seen about the ditches on the saltings in small parties of five or six..
Two were shot on Canvey Island on Sept. 10th, 1881 (Bird). Mr. Pettitt has.
several killed by his brother out of a flock at Paglesham on Aug. 29th, 1889
Mr. A. H. Smee shot one which was flying in company with another at Leigh on
Sept. 17th, 1870 (34. 23S3). Mr. Fitch has shot it at Maldon.
Temminck's Stint: Tringa temmincki.
An uncommon visitor to our coast when on migration in spring
and autumn.
Mr, Parsons' Collection contains one which has nearly acquired its summer
plumage, shot at the Lower Fleet, New England Island, on Aug. 25th, 1835. Lind-
sey, writing from Harwich in 1851, says (27. App. 51) that "it is only occasionally
to be seen on the oozy patches of our shore." Mr. Kerry mentions some (40. i. 52)
shot on Dovercourt beach in the autumn of 1876, but the only one he himself ever
saw near Harwich he shot, in company with a Little Stint, in 1886. Chas. E. Smith
notes one (31. 53) " shot at Latchingdon, near Maldon, in the spring of 1856."
Yarrell mentions one (25. iii. 72) killed at a pond-side in Essex by Hy. Doubleday