214 



J. E. LITTLEBOT — NOTES ON BIRDS 



was sliot by Mr. F. Hicks on the Elstree Reservoir in the latter 

 part of the year 1882. It is still in his possession. 



The common, or, as it is sometimes styled in consequence of its 

 presumed indifference to danger, the "foolish" guillemot, is only 

 an occasional and accidental inland visitor. "It may be seen," 

 writes Yarrell,* "in the tide-way of the open sea, all round our 

 coast at any season ; but these birds are best observed during their 

 breeding-season, when they assemble by hundreds or thousands on 

 many of the most extensive and highest rocks and cliffs that bound 

 onr sea-girt island." 



13. The Cormorant {Phalacrocorax carlo). — Mr. "W. Norman, of 

 Hoyston, informs me that a cormorant was picked up dead on the 

 15th of October, 1881, within a short distance of that town. On 

 examination it was found to have been wounded by shot. 



Cormorants are rarely met with in the Midland Counties, but are 

 common residents along the coasts of the British Isles. They feed 

 almost exclusively on fish, and are singularly expert in the art of 

 fishing. "To pursue," writes Morris,f "is to capture, and to 

 overtake is death." The cormorant is a powerful bird, and, 

 although most completely at home upon the waves, appears, 

 when observed upon the wing, to be able to contend successfully 

 against the wildest weather. It will however be noticed that the 

 bird that visited our county was picked up on the 15th of October, 

 the day following the notable storm that left behind it, in our own 

 valleys, such terrible traces of its violence. The fact that it was 

 wounded may account, in some measure, for its capture in Herts, 

 but it seems difficult to disconnect its occurrence with the fearful 

 hurricane that marked the date of its arrival. Cormorants are 

 extremely tenacious of life, and long after they are wounded will 

 defy capture. I have pleasure in exhibiting a cormorant that was 

 shot on one of the lochs in Sutherlandshire, after an exciting 

 chase, extending over the greater part of two days, by Mr. Clare 

 Fry, of the Little Elms, Watford. When skinned, three or four 

 bullet-holes were found in its throat and neck, besides various gun- 

 marks. 



The thirteen birds now recorded increase the number on our 

 register to 150 species. 



The dates at which the arrival and departure of our summer 

 migrants and other visitants have been reported, together with the 

 names of the observers, will be found in the following tables. 



Summer Migrants. 



Species. Locality. Date. Ouserver. 



Nightingale Hitchiu Apl. 9 "W. Hill, jiin. 



i^BauUas luscinia) Ashwell ,, H H.G. Fordham. 



Ilarpeiiden ,, lo J. J. Willis. 



Watford ,, IG J. Hopkiuson. 



Hertford ,, 16 R. T. Audrews. 



HaileyHall ,, 16 H.C.Heard. 



* ' British Birds,' vol. iii, p. 344. t ' British Birds,' vol. iii, p. 63. 



