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 A HISTORY OF ESSEX 183. Goosander. Mergus merganser, Linn. Locally, Saw-bill. An uncommon winter visitor. 184. Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus ser- rator, Linn. A not uncommon winter visitor to our coast. A pair frequented the shores of Nor- they Island during the summer of 1888, but apparently did not breed (Fitch). 185. Smew. Mergus albellus, Linn. A scarce winter visitor. 1 86. Ring-Dove or Wood-Pigeon. Columba palumbus, Linn. A very abundant resident, especially in wooded districts. 187. Stock-Dove. Columba aenas, Linn. A fairly common resident throughout the county and apparently increasing in numbers. [Rock-Dove. Columba livia, Gmelin. Occurs in all probability from time to time as a straggler ; but it is practically im- possible to discriminate between genuinely wild birds and those which have escaped from domestication.] 1 88. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Selby. A common summer visitor, apparently increasing in numbers. 189. Passenger-Pigeon. Ectopistes migratorius (Linn.). A very rare straggler to Britain from America. An adult male, apparently wild, was killed on the very border of the county, between Chrishall and Royston, in July 1844 (see Birds of Essex, pp. 215 and 281). It is now in the museum at Saffron Walden. 190. Pallas's Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes para- doxus (Pallas). A resident on the steppes of Asia, whence it occasionally migrates westward across Europe in a most erratic and unaccountable manner. A few have reached Britain on several occasions, while in 1863 and 1888 large numbers arrived. On both occasions small flocks spread themselves over the county, and not a few individuals were shot, es- pecially in 1888. A few are reported to have remained at Barkingside through the summer of 1889 (Crouch : see Birds of Essex, p. 217). [Red Grouse. Lagopus scoticus (Latham). It is difficult to regard two specimens shot respectively at Little Tey, in the spring of 1864, and at Ulting, one autumn about 1885, otherwise than as individuals which had been turned out.] 191. Pheasant. Phasianus cokhicus, Linn. An abundant resident wherever sufficiently preserved. 192. Partridge. Perdix cinerea, Latham. An abundant resident. 193. Red-legged Partridge. Caccabh rufa (Linn.). Locally, French Partridge or Red-leg. As the foregoing, though originally intro- duced. In some of the upland parts of the county it appears to be as abundant as the common partridge. The idea that its pre- valence is inimical to the other species seems to have no foundation in fact, at least in Essex. 194. Quail. Coturnix communis, Bonnaterre. Formerly fairly common, but now scarce and becoming, apparently, more so. It still breeds however occasionally in the county. 195. Land-Rail. Crex pratensis, Bechstein. An uncommon summer visitor, breeding occasionally in most parts of the county, but far less often than formerly. It is however best known as a passing migrant in spring and autumn, and is killed not infrequently by partridge-shooters in September. Occa- sionally it occurs in winter. 196. Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta (Leach). A rare and local summer visitor, though probably commoner than is usually supposed. It stays occasionally well into the winter. Undoubtedly it breeds, or has bred, in Essex, but I know of no authentic instance of its eggs having been taken. Mr. Fitch has, however, an egg taken from the body of a female shot, many years ago, on Northey Island. 197. Little Crake. Porzana parva (Scopoli). Rare. One was shot during October about the year 1885 at Paglesham (Birds of Essex, p. 224). 198. Baillon's Crake. Porzana bailloni (Vieillot). Rare. One was shot on October 3, 1874, in a reedy ditch adjoining ' Dagenham Gulf,' and another on December i, 1891, beside the river Lee, near Waltham Abbey. 199. Water-Rail. Rallus aquaticus, Linn. A resident, but scarce and seldom seen on account of its skulking habits. During hard 248