XY. 



RErORT OX niEXOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IX HERTFORD- 

 SHIRE IX 1879. 



By JoHX HoPKixsoN, F.L.S., etc., Hon. Sec. 



Read at Watford, 20th April, 1880. 



The number of localities at wliicli Phenolopcal Observations 

 have been taken again shows an increase, but not to such an extent 

 as in 1878, when the number was more than double that of the 

 previous year, the only additional centre of observation this year 

 being Sawbridgeworth. 



Observations for the localities before represented have been con- 

 tributed by the same observers as in 1878.* The most complete 

 record of the time of flowering of plants is again that of our 

 observer at Harpenden, Mr. J. J. Willis. For Hertford we have 

 also a very full record from Mr. E,. T. Andrews, who commenced 

 to observe in 1878. For "Watford we have still to rely entirely on 

 our own observations. For the district between St. Albans and 

 Redbourn we have again observations from Mrs. Arnold of Red- 

 bourn Bury ; for the neighbourhood of Ware, from Mr. R. B. Croft, 

 F.L.S., of Fanhams Hall; and for Odsey, from Mr. H. George 

 Fordham, F.G.S., of Odsey Grange. For our new locality, Saw- 

 bridgeworth, observations of the time of flowering of plants have 

 been contributed by Miss C. Donagan. A few observations of 

 birds have been taken at Watford by Mr. Jonathan King, of Wig- 

 genhall; at Kimpton, near Welwyn, by the Kev. Thomas D. Croft, 

 M.A. ; and at Hertford, by Mr. H. C. Heard, of Hailey Hall. I 

 have also incorporated in this report a few observations of the 

 species in our list recorded in Mr. Littleboy's " Notes on Birds 

 observed in 1879," already communicated to the Society f 



Regular observations, chiefly of the time of flowering of plants, 

 are therefore now taken at seven localities, and occasional observa- 

 tions of birds at several others. In the Meteorological Society's 

 Report, drawn up by the Rev. T. A. Preston, 32 localities aie 

 represented, 8 of which are in Hertfordshire, the records for these 

 localities being from copies of the returns of our observers already 

 named which I have forwarded. To these may be added the 

 return for Cambridgeshire, that being from our observer at Odsey 

 on the borders of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. But one other 

 county, Lincolnshire, is represented by as many as three phonological 

 stations, and many counties are yet without a single observer. 



It is therefore seen that the Meteorological Society is indebted 

 to our Society for a large proportion of its observers — certainly a 

 very satisfactory indication that we are by no means behindhand 



* ' Trans. Watford Xat. Hist. Soc.,' Vol. II, p. 229. 

 t ' Trans. Herts. Xat. Hist. See.,' Vol. I, p. 70. 



