252 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
are preserved in the British Museum." Mr. Clarke mentions (24) one at Ches-
terford in 1833, and two at Wenden in 1835. Around Sudbury, King says (20)
that in 1838 it was " not uncommon." Mr. W. L. Barclay, of Leyton, wrote
(23. 7939) in 1862, that specimens were observed there "almost every year."
Mr. W. Jesse records (34. 915) that on Aug. 18th, 1867, one appeared round a
pond on the lawn at Maisonette, Ingatestone. Dr. Bree, in recording the occur-
rence of a female specimen near Colchester, about the middle of April, 1874 (29.
May 2) stated his belief that it bred in Essex. At Harwich " a few are seen every
autumn " (Kerry). Mr. Hope generally meets with them in the marsh ditches
from the middle of August until November, but seldom later. He adds : " I have
known them fly aboard the dredgers at sea in August, and be knocked over
by a stone. It is locally known as the ' Black Snipe.' " Mr. Parsons has many
notes of meeting with it on New England Island, the Tilbury Marshes, and
elsewhere, sometimes singly, but more often in pairs or small parties, and in one
case (July 23, 1839) in a flock of ten on New England. He notes seeing a pair
at Tilbury on April 21st, 1842, but most of the occurrences are in July and
August, though there are some noted as late as November or December. They
appear usually to have arrived during the first two or three days of July,
though in 1838 he saw two on New England on June 27th, and in 1842 one
at Tilbury on June 17th (22). Writing in 1834, he said (13. ii. 199) he had
never seen this species except in the autumnal months. In 1888, Mr. Fitch con-
stantly observed a pair about the ditches on Northey Island, from May until
the middle of July, but could obtain no evidence whatever of their having nested
in the vicinity,
Wood-Sandpiper : Totanus glareola.
A rare and irregular visitor to Britain, chiefly as a passing
migrant in spring and autumn. It has been known to breed in
Scotland, Norfolk, and Northumberland, and two of the following
records seem to suggest its having bred in Essex.
On July 24th, 1837, Mr. Parsons shot a young male of the year at the
Lower Fleet, on New England Island, supposing it to be a Green Sandpiper
(22). From the date one cannot help surmising that it may have been bred
there. Henry Doubleday, writing from Epping on May 10th, 1840, mentions
(10) that on the previous Monday,
" a fellow celebrated for poaching brought me a Wood Sandpiper (T. glare-
ola) which he shot at a pond on our common. It was a female, and the eggs
very much enlarged. He says there were two of them, probably a pair. The
one he brought is in full summer plumage."
Yarrell, who says (14. ii. 535) that it has been killed in Essex in the spring,
mentions hearing of the above occurrence from Doubleday. Dr. Bree notes (32a)
a fine specimen shot at Nayland-on-the-Stour, and sent to Ambrose to stuff
in Dec, 1869. One was observed at the mouth of the Stour on Aug. 16th, 1884
(42).
Redshank: Totanus Calidris. Locally, " Teuke," or " Pool
Snipe."
An abundant resident on our coast, where it may be seen during
the winter in large flocks, increased by immigrants from elsewhere.
It breeds in all suitable situations among the marshes and saltings
on our coast, and as far up the Thames as Dagenham and Stan-