74
EPPING FOREST
Wanstead Flats a few years ago. I have talked with
these men when at work with their clap-nets, and they
told me they often caught lesser redpolls; these and
the linnets they put in cages ; but greenfinches, which
they took in prodigious numbers, were killed at once,
and tied by the neck in bunches of a score each, and
sold to the London markets. The numbers were far
greater than could have been produced in the district,
but in spring and autumn, when the bird-catchers ply
their trade, there is a general shifting of quarters by
these birds, so that many caught in the Forest must
have come from a distance.
Lesser Redpoll. Loughton Forest and Wanstead Flats.
Often seen feeding on the silver birches.
Mealy Redpoll. This pretty species only appears at long
intervals, and, like the crossbills, in considerable
numbers, probably in quest of food. " Some years ago
many examples were trapped by myself and H. Double-
day.'—J. L. E.
Skylark. Common and generally distributed.
Meadow Pipit. Only a winter visitant here. Its quickly
repeated note, as it rises with jerking flight, cheers the
sadness of our flats in winter.
Tree Pipit. Frequent about the borders of the woods. As
soon as it arrives in April its song is constantly heard
as it soars to a considerable height and descends with
motionless and outstretched wings.
Common Wren. Everywhere.
Robin. Everywhere.
Pied Wagtail. A common resident. The greater number
go south, to return about the end of February dressed
in their summer plumage. Those that remain with us
retain their winter garb until the spring is farther ad-
vanced.
Yellow Wagtail. Used to be frequent in summer, but now
scarce in this neighbourhood.
Gray Wagtail. Not uncommon along the Roding in winter.
Bee-eater. Observed at Wanstead by H. I.
Spotted Flycatcher. A common summer visitor; but the
latest of all to arrive except the nightjar.
Pied Fly-catcher. A female bird of this species was taken
in the Forest by a bird-catcher on the 13th September
1877, and was forwarded to Mr. Harting for identifica-
tion. It was kept alive for some days on chopped
egg and meal worms. Two examples were shot in
the Theydon Grove, and are in the Doubleday collec-
tion.
Nightingale, Well distributed over our district. The cock
bird arrives first and sings best while he is waiting for
his mate to join him. When the nesting is far advanced,
his song is reduced to a tuneless croak. If a trap
is baited with meal worms they do not seem able to
resist the temptation, and they are consequently easily
caught. In the spring of 1858 an old Leytonstone bird-
catcher caught thirty-four about the avenues. I lately
found one of these gentry, who mostly hail from White-
chapel, outside my fence at Knighton. He was at the