150 A. F. GROSSMAN — NOTES ON BIRDS 



more information iu ' The Birds of Berks and Bucks ' about this 

 and the two following species. The white-fronted goose is only an 

 annual winter visitor to the British Islands, its chief nesting- 

 grounds being in Siberia. 



3. Gadwall (Anas strepera). — The gadwall is also stated, on 

 the authority of Mr. Crewe, to have been occasionally killed at 

 the Reservoirs. This duck, according to Mr. Howard Saunders, 

 is uncommon except in Norfolk and one or two spots in the 

 Midlands. In Norfolk, however, on certain estates, it breeds in 

 large numbers, and I would refer anyone desiring further infor- 

 mation on the subject to Stevenson's 'Birds of Norfolk.' 



4. Velvet Scoter (CEdemia fusea). — Mr. Crewe also mentioned 

 that this bird had occurred on two occasions at Tring, but gave 

 no further details. The velvet scoter, which may easily be 

 distinguished from the common scoter by its larger size and its 

 wing, is far less numerous on our coasts, but one or two pairs may 

 often be observed with almost every flock of the common bird on 

 certain parts of our coasts. The late Mr. Booth believed that 

 a few pail's breed in parts of the Northern Highlands, but this 

 has never been actually proved. 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



Blackbird [Turdus merula). — Amongst the information I obtained 

 from Captain Clarke Kennedy's book on the ' Birds of Berks and 

 Bucks,' was the statement that several black and white birds 

 of this species were observed in Ashridge Park during the year 

 1862. 



Eing-Ouzel {Turdus torquatus). — On 8th May, 1896, my brother 

 saw one of these birds near a little pond on Berkhamsted 

 Common. Mr. Latchmore informs me that ring-ouzels are seen 

 regularly eveiy spring at Ickleford, near Hitchin ; and Mr. Lucas 

 states that his father used frequently to see these birds on his 

 lawn at the latter place, but that they have not appeared there 

 in recent years. On looking through the past records of this bird 

 in Hertfordshire, I find that between 1877 and 1886 it was 

 reported nearly every year, and that, with two exceptions, all 

 the examples were seen in the autumn. From 1886 to 1895 I can 

 find no records of this bird in the ' Transactions,' but I was able 

 to report its occurrence in two localities in the latter year during 

 the spring migration. A striking feature about the appearance 

 of the ring-ouzel in this county is the late date on which it has 

 so often occurred, several of the records being in November, and 

 one being so late as December 12th, on which date in 1882 

 the late Mr. Littleboy saw two or more at Caldecott. In the 

 'Zoologist' for 1879 there is an interesting article by Mr. Harting 

 on the occurrence of this species in the British Isles during the 

 winter, in which he enumerates several well-authenticated instances 

 of the bird remaining so late with us. 



Stonechat {Pratincola ruhicola). — I observed the stoncchat on 

 Berkhamsted Common on 25th and 27th December, 1896. It is 



