212 W. BICKEETON — NOTES ON BIEDS 



note I thought might be interesting as an example of a wliite 

 bird changing colour apparently after moulting." 



BrambUng (Fringilla montifringilla) . — These winter visitors 

 were very plentifiil during the early mouths of 1906, but I did 

 not once see a specimen in the later months of the year, not even 

 during the hard weather in the latter part of December. 

 Mr. A. H. Foster (Hitchin) reports : " Brambhngs abundant 

 locally as usual." Dr. Hartert (Tring) states that he hardly 

 saw any brambhngs and that usually they are numerous in the 

 Tring district. 



Magpie {Pica rusticd). — This bird is still as scarce as in 

 former years. I saw a pair near Elstree in mid-July, and the 

 only other notice sent to me is from Mr. Vaughan, who states 

 that he has only seen two magpies in thirty years. 



Wryneck {lynx torquilla). — Several reports of the appearance 

 of this bird in the spring are to hand. Mr. Headley states that 

 in liis district it began singing again (i.e., after the moult) on 

 July 18th. 



White or Barn-Owl {Strix flammea) . — Mr. E. Vale, of Chalk 

 Hill, reports that as his son and another youth were going home 

 from Watford about 9.30 p.m. on March 12th they saw a large 

 white bird hovering round the ivy-mantled house next to 

 Benskin's offices. This was doubtless a barn-owl, and very 

 probably it was systematically " beating " the ivy with its wings 

 in order to startle the sparrows, and captm'e them as they were 

 flushed out. Possibly mice were scarce at that time, or the owl 

 may have been trying a change of diet. I have also a note to 

 the effect that both the little owl {Athene noctua) and the scops- 

 owl {Scojjs ghi) continue to live in a certain district in this 

 county, which I am specially desired (for obvious reasons) not 

 to indicate. This is, to my mind, one of the most interesting 

 records of the year, and I am siu'e all bird-lovers will wish 

 " continued prosperity " to these two small but exceedingly 

 interesting strangers of the owl family. 



Heron {Ardea cinerea). — Several of my correspondents have 

 noted that the heron has been more numerous during 1906, 

 and this, in spite of the facts that he is well kept down in the 

 interests of anglers, and that there is, so far as I loiow, no 

 heronry in the county. I think it is worth mentioning that 

 one evening in July, as Mr. D. Hill and myself were standing 

 just outside the Public Library in Queen Street, Watford, we 

 saw a heron fly right above us. He was at a good height, and 

 was heading westwards. 



Mr. P. J. Barraud (Bushey) calls attention to a very 

 interesting question in connection with the herons, that, viz., 

 as to whether they have the power of emitting a phosphorescent 

 light when fishing in the darkness, and so of alluring prey to the 

 spot where they stand. The subject is discussed in an article 

 entitled " The Fascination of Light," which appears in ' Eecreations 



