BIRDS observed and shot near Rainham (Prentis), on the Isle of Thanet (Dowker), near Maidstone {Field, 15 September 1894). In May 1901 a fine adult male was shot on Bedgebury lake near Cranbrook and preserved by Mr. Springett, the taxidermist of that town. A year previous to this occurrence another was seen in the same locality. 136. Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carbo{h n.) Locally, Isle of Wight Parson. A visitor to our coast line. It is found on the Medway. A fine male example in full breeding dress is in the Dover Museum, taken near the Dover coal mine, 2 February 1898. 137. Shag or Green Cormorant. Phala- crocorax graculus (Linn.) Occurs at sea off our south coast, generally young birds, during winter. 138. Gannet or Solan-goose. Sula hassana (Linn.) An occasional winter visitor. Storm-driven individuals have occurred on the coast. 139. Common Heron. Ardea cinerea, Linn. A resident, though not so numerous as formerly. From May onwards young birds come to the dykes and shallow pools in our marsh land in search of eels, and in dry seasons considerable migrations occur. In the spring adult birds are sometimes obtained along run- ning brooks inland. The majority of birds leave us in late autumn, returning to the heronries in February. There are two of these in the county : one at Cobham near Gravesend and the other at Chilham Castle — a well known heronry which has been in existence for over 120 years, and where the nests are built in tall ash and beech trees. The fine heronry in Penshurst Park was abandoned by the herons, owing to the increase of rooks and jackdaws about 1840. 140. Purple Heron. Ardea purpurea, Linn. A rare visitor. I have no recorded occur- rence of late years. In September 1838 an immature specimen was obtained in Romney Marsh, and in the same locality a fine adult on 29 March 1847 which is now in the Dover Museum (Plomley, Zool. 1847, P- I777)- I" the Prentis collection there is an immature specimen, shot near Ham Street in 1876.' 141. Night-Heron. Nycticorax griseus{L r.) A rare visitor. In the Plomley collection, ' There is a specimen of the buff-backed heron {A. bubulcus) in the Maidstone Museum, but I have been unable to trace its history. Dover Museum, there is a specimen obtained many years ago from Lydd. 142. Little Bittern. Ardetta minuta (Linn.) Has been obtained occasionally, generally in autumn, but not of late years. It has been shot at Elmstone (Delmar) and near Ashford in 1877 (Prentis collection). 143. Bittern. Botaurus stellaris (Linn.) Comes to us occasionally during severe winters. Before the epoch of cultivation and drainage it probably bred in our marshes. It has been obtained at Rainham (Prentis), at Stourmouth (Dowker), at Orpington (male, January 1864, Zool. p. 8961), at Headcorn (Maidston Museum), at Lydd (Plomley col- lection), and in the Cranbrook district, where on 23 December 1897, at Horsemonden, an adult male was shot, and another male on 13 December 1899 in the Glassenbury woods. 144. American Bittern. Botaurus lentiginosus (Montagu) A rare straggler. In 1854 an individual was shot near Canterbury and is now in the museum of that town. It was identified some years afterwards by Mr. J, H. Gurney {Zool. 1866, p. 14s). 145. White Stork. Ciconia alba, Bechstein. A rare accidental visitor. There is a speci- men in the Plomley collection in the Dover Museum, and it was probably obtained at Lydd. It has also occurred at Sandwich (Boys' List, History of Sandwich). 146. Black Stork. Ciconia nigra (Linn.) A rare accidental visitor. There are only two satisfactory records — one from Romney Marsh in 1844 (it is in the collection of Mr. Thornhill of Riddlesworth) ; another near Lydd 5 May, 1856 {Zool. 1856, p. 5160). 147. Spoonbill. Platalea leucorodia, Linn. Now only a rare visitor to the county, the occurrences of late years being less numerous than formerly. Though there is no direct evidence that this bird ever bred in Kent, yet it is more than likely, since breeding stations existed in the adjoining counties of Sussex and Middlesex (Harting, vol. ii. 1877, p. 425 ; 1886, p. 81). In June 1850 a flock of six spoonbills visited Sandwich Haven, and about the same time three more were seen in Pegwell Bay, while another individual probably of the same flock was shot in the Wingham marshes {Zool. 1850, p. 2853). Mr. Prentis writes : ' A fine female adult spoonbill with a buff collar and pendant crest was shot on the Isle of Elmley 12 April 1865. 289 37
