154 A. F. GROSSMAN — NOTES ON BIRDS 



saw a flock of rooks attack three jackdaws, two of which they 

 killed, the third managing to escape for a time. As soon, however, 

 as they had despatched the two, the rooks started full cry after the 

 sxjjvivor, and although the man did not see the finish, he had no 

 doubt that it shared the same fate as the others. This is a most 

 curious circumstance, and one would very much like to know the 

 reason of this apparently unprovoked assault. 



Nightjar ( Caprimulgus europceus). — I saw the nightjar on several 

 occasions near Berkhamsted. They seemed particularly plentiful 

 on the Common, and could be heard there on most evenings during 

 the summer. "When disturbed they usually fly only quite a short 

 distance, and then settle again. A young bird of this species was 

 shot near Northchurch on October 6th. Mr. Lucas mentions the 

 bird as occurring at Wain Wood, near Hitchin, and Mr. Latchmore 

 states that it is very common in certain localities in that district. 



Wryneck {lynx torquilla). — The wryneck was fairly plentiful in 

 the Berkhamsted district in 1896. The latest date on which I saw 

 one was September 5th, at Northchurch. I was particularly struck 

 with its flight, which reminded me of that of a red-backed shrike, 

 for which, indeed, I mistook the bird at first. Mr. Eivers reports 

 this bird from Sawbridgeworth, and Mr. Lucas has observed it in the 

 neighbourhood of Hitchin. Mrs. Bishop informed Mr. T. Yaughan 

 Roberts that the bird is observed annually in her garden at Watford. 



Great Spotted Woodpecker {Bendrocopiis major). — This bird was 

 very plentiful in West Herts during the year 1896. I saw several 

 holes in a wood called Frithsden Beeches, which were apparently 

 tenanted by this species, and under one of them I found egg-shells 

 from which young birds had been hatched. The bird occurs near 

 Hitchin, and Mr. Rivers has frequently observed it around Saw- 

 bridgeworth. 



Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [Bendrocopus minor). — Mr. Harting, 

 in the ' Birds of Middlesex,' mentions this bird as having been 

 observed near Elstree. Mr. Latchmore and Mr. Lucas both inforai 

 me that they have seen it near Hitchin, and it also occurs near 

 Sawbridgeworth. I myself saw several of these birds near Berk- 

 hamsted in 1896. 



Kingfisher {Alcedo ispida). — The kingfisher was fairly plentiful 

 along the Canal and River Bulboume, near Berkhamsted, in 1896. 

 On the other hand, Mr. Latchmore states that in the neighboui'hood 

 of Hitchin this species is nearly extinct, owing to the way in which 

 it is destroyed there by birdcatchers, who hang a silk net over the 

 arch of a bridge, and then drive the birds up or down stream, as 

 the case may be ; in this way they are easily caught. He suggests 

 that the kingfisher should be protected all the year round in Hert- 

 fordshire, which, if possible, would be a very good thing to do. 



Long-eared Owl {Asio otus). — In ' The Birds of Berks and 

 Bucks,' Ashridge Park is mentioned, on the authority of the Rev. 

 Dr. Jenks, as a regular breeding-place of this bird. 



Tawny Owl {Syrnium aluco). — A curious circumstance is men- 

 tioned in the 'Field' of 18th May, 1895, by Mr. Naylor, of 



