OBSERVED IX UERTFORDSHIEE IN 1895. 79 



birds nest much later than the last-mentioned duck, laying from 

 eiglit to twelve eggs. The nest is usually made of grass or sedge 

 and down, and is placed amongst rushes or sedge, most often near 

 the edge of the water. 



Goosander {Mergus merganser). — On IN'ovember 25th Street saw 

 two of these birds at the Ileser\'oirs. Two were also shot at the 

 Keservoirs in February, 1885. 



KiNG-DovE [Columba palumhus). — This bird was remarkably 

 plentiful during the winter of 1894-5, vast flocks being seen in the 

 neighbourhood of Berkhamsted and AVatford. 



Ringed Plover {^gialitis hiaticula). — On August 7th Street 

 saw a ringed plover at the Reservoirs, and on August 30th his 

 son saw several at "Wilstone Reservoir. On I^ovember 7th I saw 

 one of these bii'ds feeding on the mud at Startop's End Reservoir. 

 In Air. Littleboy's report for 1887, he mentions that Street thought 

 that this bird bred at the Reservoirs, but I think that possibly this 

 is a mistake, as there does not seem to be a suitable place for it to 

 nest there. 



Dublin {Tringa alpina). — On August 31st I saw four of these 

 birds feeding round the Little Tring Reservoir. One of them still 

 retained some of the black feathers of the breeding plumage on 

 the breast. The bird probably occurs annually at the Reservoirs, 

 although not always reported. 



RrFF {Machetes pugnax). — On August 17th I saw two of these 

 birds at Little Tring Reservoir. By the buff tinge of the plumage 

 on the back, they were probably young birds. When on the wing 

 they flew rather slowly. I saw one of them swimming. Street shot 

 one of these a day or two after I had seen them. This bird has 

 been recorded on two other occasions in Hertfordshire, both at the 

 Reservoirs, namely, in 1884 and 1886; and on the latter occasion 

 two males were procured at a shot. The ruff used formerly to 

 breed in many of the marshy districts of England, but drainage, 

 wnth other causes, has induced them to become only visitors on 

 the spring and autumn migrations, although possibly a few pairs 

 may still rear their broods in this country. 



Green Sandpiper {Totamis ochropus). — On the same date as I saw 

 the ruffs, namely, August 17th, I also observed a green sandpiper. 

 It appeared to me to be rather larger than the common species, 

 and also darker in colour, and it did not fly so erratically as that 

 bird. This bird is mentioned in Mr. Littleboy's Register as being 

 a regular spring \'isitant near Ickleford, and in the same book there 

 are several other records of its occurrence in Hertfordshire. 



Common Redshank (Totamis calidris). — On October 10th Street 

 saw some redshanks at the Reservoirs. This bird has been obtained 

 three times before in Hertfordshire, the last occasion being in 

 June, 1891, when one was picked up on the Midland Railway 

 between St. Albans and Radlett. 



Greenshank {Totanus canescens). — On April 6th I observed one of 

 these bii'ds on Little Tring Reservoir. It got up as we approached, 

 and flew across the Reservoir, uttering a loud melodious whistle. 



