20
saw one bird on one occasion that summer.
Since then sightings have been very rare. In 1978 I saw
two birds on 20th July, and one on both l8th August, and
15th September.
Then I saw two on 12th December 1979, and have seen none
since.
I do not know their species but they look to me exactly
like birds which I saw flying in flocks round Delhi on a
visit there.
Perhaps these very amateur observations may help to record
a phenomenon which others are more able to evaluate than
I am.
George Smith
BUTTERFLY AND MOTH RECORDING IN ESSEX
Following the successful publication of Lt.Col. Maitland
Emmet's 'Smaller Moths of Essex', a large group of Essex
Lepidopterists got together to plan a publication on the
Butterflies and Larger Moths - aimed at mapping all the
species and bringing the Essex Naturalists' Trust volume
on the subject up to date. This is essentially a co-
operative venture by several societies and organisations
and we want everyone interested in Essex Butterflies and
Moths to make a real effort in 1982 to bring the
distribution maps up to date.
Maitland Emmet has prepared working maps for all the
Essex species and a copy of these can be loaned to any-
one who is willing to undertake a thorough search of
their area - for example by running a moth trap. For
those of us who find moths difficult to identify but
who note down the butterflies they see - the Essex
Biological Records Centres have collaborated to produce
a booklet with provisional maps of all the Essex