58 W. BICKERTON— NOTES ON BIRDS 



reports that a pair of these ducks were shot on the Reservoirs in 

 December. Our last record was in 1901. 



Wigeon {Mareca penelope). — During the hard weather in 

 January, 1905, a duck of this species haunted the river (Gade) 

 in Cassiobury Park for about a fortnight. It was by no means 

 a sliy bird, and was ultimately shot. It is perhaps worthy of 

 remark that on one occasion while I was watching this bird (which, 

 bv-the-bve, fed quite freely in the daytime), Ijotli a kingfisher 

 and a green woodpecker alighted within my field of observation, 

 and I was able to watch and admire each of the three in turn. 

 I do not think it is given to many men to have such a unique 

 trio of birds under observation at one and the same time. 



Pochard (Fuligula ferina). — Mr. J. R. Miu-ray infomis me 

 that during September he shot three birds of this species at 

 Elstree, and that he regards these as very rare visitors there. 

 I saw a good number at Tring on October 29tli, as also of the 

 Tufted Duck (Fuligula cristata). 



Quail (Coturnix communis). — I have heard of this bird from 

 four districts during 1905, this being the first record we have 

 since 1900. Mr. E. P. Thompson reports one at Elstree on 

 April 25th, and Mr. R. T. Andrews reports one that had killed 

 itself by dashing against the telegraph wires near Ware Park. 

 The following note appeared in ' The Zoologist ' for October 

 (1905): — "Reappearance of the Quail (Coturnix communis). — 

 While I was in Ireland in the middle of July my brother 

 informed me that Quail had appeared in considerable numbers 

 in his neighbourhood, near Euniscorthy, co. Wexford, this 

 season. They had, in fact, been widespread, and had been 

 noticed by most of the country people about there. It was, 

 therefore, -with, great interest that I heard the liquid triple call 

 of this bird in my own neighbourhood here on July 30th, 

 directly after my return home. I heard several of them calling 

 together, first in a field of ripe wheat, and aftenvards in a large 

 field of barley, at some little distance from the first locality. 

 As these birds have not been observed here for many years, and 

 have been considered almost extinct for the past twenty-five years 

 in Ireland, their reappearance this season in some niunbers is 

 worthy of being recorded." — Allan Ellison, Watton-at-Stone, 

 Herts. On the other hand, Mr. E. Hartert reports: "Quails 

 are becoming rai'er ; in fact, we have not seen or heard one 

 these last three or four years." 



Corncrake (Crex 2^ndensis). — This bird, for some mysterious 

 reasons, seems to continue scarce, and is so reported from various 

 districts in the county. 



Stone Curlew, Norfolk Plover, or Thickuee (CEdicnemus 

 scolopax). — A bird of this species Avas shot by Mr. Boys, of The 

 Grange, St. Albans, at New Farm, St. Albans, during November, 

 and is now in his possession. This is the first specimen of the 

 bird I have heard of in Hertfordshire during my residence here, 

 and I think it must be a good many years since its occurrence 



