VI. 



NOTES ON BIRDS OBSERVED IN 1879. 



By JoHJf E. LiTTLEBOY. 



Read at Watford, 20th January, 1880. 



FoLLOwnsTG the course adopted on a previous occasion,* I propose 

 to notice, in the first place, a few birds that have not been pre- 

 viously reported, and which are consequently additions to our 

 register of Hertfordshire species. They are eight in number. 



1. — The Wood- Ween {^Phylloscopus sihilatrix). — The wood- wren 

 or wood-warbler, as it is frequently called, is probably more 

 abundant than is generally supposed ; it is very similar in appear- 

 ance to others of its genus, and is distinguished with difficulty from 

 the chifi^-chaff and willow- warbler. It frequents plantations and 

 woodland districts, appearing to prefer the higher and larger class 

 of trees. It arrives in England about the beginning of May, and 

 was observed by Mr. T. Toovey, near King's Langley, on the 11th 

 of that month. 



2. — The Buntikg {Emheriza Miliaria). — On the 6th of April, 

 when driving along the turnpike road, a little to the north of 

 King's Langley, I noticed a bird which at once attracted my atten- 

 tion. At first sight I thought that it was a yellow-hammer, but I 

 had never before seen one so devoid of colour ; its speckled breast 

 quickly convinced me that I was mistaken. I was fortunately 

 able to observe it closely, and had no hesitation in identifying it as 

 a common bunting. 



3. — The Red-'wtn'ged Starling {Age! mis Phceniceus). — A speci- 

 men of this rare bird was shot last spring near Bovingdon ; it is 

 now in the possession of Mr. Norman Evans, Nash Mills. The red- 

 winged starling is of American origin, and when met with in large 

 flocks, as is frequently the case in the United States, it is said to 

 commit serious ravages on the corn crops. It is distinguished 

 from the common starling by a brown or light bronze stripe across 

 its wings and shoulders. 



4. — The Gkeen Sandpiper {Helodromas Ochropiis). — Two of 

 these elegant little waders were shot by Mr. Abel H. Smith 

 during last January, near the River Beane, at Sacombe. They are 

 at present in his collection. Mr. Smith states that they frequented 

 a ditch which runs parallel to the river ; that they got exceedingly 

 shy after being once flushed, and flew up to a considerable height, 

 genei'ally flying in a circle, and coming down withia 300 or 400 

 yards of the same place. Green sandpipers are not uncommon in 

 Yorkshire and parts of Norfolk, but all the authorities I have been 

 able to consult concur in considering them to be rare in the Midland 

 Counties. The Rev. C. A. Johns f writes of them as follows : "In 

 habits the green sandpiper differs considerably from most of its 



* See ' Trans. Watford Nat. Hist. Soc.,' Vol. II, p. 143. 

 t ' British Birds in their Haunts,' p. 427. 



