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 BIRDS frosts it sometimes becomes fairly abundant. It breeds sparingly in suitable spots, such as the marshes round the coast and the lake near Holficld Grange, Coggeshall. 200. Moor-Hen. Gallinula chloropus (Linn.). A very abundant resident. During winter large numbers arrive from elsewhere. 201. Coot. Fultca atra, Linn. An abundant resident on and near the coast. Inland it is not often met with, but it appears occasionally on sheets of ornamental water in private parks and sometimes breeds in such situations. It is with us a decreasing species, and the vast flocks which used to appear on our coast during winter have now largely disappeared. 202. Crane. Grus communis, Bechstein. Once probably common on the marshes, but now a rare and occasional straggler only. On November 9, 1888, one was shot out of a flock of eight which settled in a field at Elmstead near Colchester. In the following year one frequented Hamford Water and the adjacent mudflats for several weeks from the end of September till towards the end of October. 203. Great Bustard. Otis tarda, Linn. Now only a very rare and occasional strag- gler, but formerly a resident, though probably never common in Essex, unless on the exten- sive open downs around Heydon and Chris- hall. A female was shot at Woodham Ferris on December 5, 1879, d unn g a severe frost. On the 6th of the following February another was killed on the border of the county near West Wickham, while a third is said to have been killed about the same time near Man- ningtree. A female was shot at Tillingham about the middle of December 1890, and an individual has been reported to me as having been seen at Hat field Broad Oak on October 31, 1899, during frosty weather. 204. Little Bustard. Otis tetrax, Linn. A rare and occasional straggler. It has occurred at least nine times in Essex always during winter. 205. Stone - Curlew. (Edicntmus scolopax (S. G. Gmelin). A scarce summer visitor, usually met with when on migration ; but a few pairs breed still (or endeavour to do so) on the elevated downland in the extreme north-west corner of the county. 206. Pratincole. Glareola pratinco/a, Linn. A rare straggler. A female was shot about the middle of August 1861, on the Old Hall Marshes, Tollesbury (see Birds of Essex, P- 233)- 207. Cream - coloured Courser. Cunorius gallicus (Gmelin). A rare straggler to Britain. An example was shot on October 19, 1858, when in a very exhausted condition on the Temple Mills Marshes beside the river Lea near Stratford. 208. Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus (Linn.). A rare passing migrant in spring and autumn. The open chalk downs in the extreme north- west corner of the county were formerly a favourite halting-place. 209. Ringed Plover. sEgialitis hiaticola (Linn.). A resident on the coast, breeding sparingly in suitable localities. Large arrivals take place in the autumn. 210. Kentish Plover. /Egialitis cantiana (Latham). A rare passing migrant in spring and autumn. 211. Golden Plover. Cbaradrius p/uvia/is, Linn. A common winter visitor, appearing in small flocks in all parts of the county after strong easterly gales and hard weather, and sometimes remaining till the beginning of April, by which time many have assumed their full breeding plumage. 212. Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica (Linn.). A fairly common visitor to our coast from autumn to spring. 213. Peewit or Lapwing. Panel/us vulgaris, Bechstein. Locally, Green Plover, Black Plover, etc. A common but by no means abundant resi- dent, breeding on the marshes and in fields near the coast and at a few spots inland. Its numbers have been much reduced however by systematic 'egging.' From the inland parts of the county, where it bred formerly not un- commonly, it has been almost banished, pro- bably by high farming. During winter, especially after rough weather, large flocks frequent the large open fields inland. 2 1 4. Turnstone. Strepsitas interpret (Linn.). A fairly common passing migrant in spring and autumn, but individuals have been met with occasionally on our coast at almost all seasons of the year. 249