XXYl PROCEEDINGS, 



there is always water, and it was found that, notwithstanding the 

 recent dry weather, the ground here was moist, even the road 

 being slightly muddy, showing that water is retained in the moat, 

 ■which is locally known as "The Slud," owing to the retentive 

 nature of the clayey subsoil. The moat is nearly half-a-mile in 

 length, and curves round, but not so that the two ends nearly 

 approach each other, and there is no indication that it ever 

 enclosed any defensive earthwork or buildings. 



Nearly a quarter of a mile beyond the moat there is a deep and 

 diy trench called "the Devil's Dyke," aboiit half a mile in length. 

 The earth has been thrown up on either side, and the roadway 

 through it, which was traversed, leads almost straight down the 

 hill to Marford. This dyke seems to be very similar to Beech 

 Bottom and the dyke at Maynes, near St. Albans, and, like these 

 earthworks, is generally believed to be of early British origin, but 

 no satisfactoiy explanation as to its purpose, nor that of the moat 

 near it, has been offered. It is probably either a portion of an 

 ancient British tribal boundary or of an old fosseway, perhaps once 

 continuous with Beech Bottom. 



At Marford foot-bridge the Lea was again crossed, and the 

 meadow by its side {now cruelly fenced ofE with barbed wire) was 

 traversed as far as Wheathampstead. Taking the road to the north 

 for a short distance, and then a path across the fields on the left, 

 Delaport was reached at six o'clock, and the members and their 

 friends were most hospitably entertained at tea by Mr. and Mrs. 

 Upton Robins. The walk had been at least five miles in length, 

 the air was keen if not positively cold, and the natural result was 

 a healthy appetite, so that ample justice was done to the repast. 

 At its conclusion a vote of thanks was accorded to the host and 

 hostess for their kindness, on the proposition of Mr. William 

 Ransom, seconded by Mr. Hopkinson. 



Most of the members then returned to their respective destinations 

 by train from Wheathampstead Station, some di'ove or rode home, 

 and several accompanied the director on foot to St. Albans, by way 

 of No Man's Land Common, Hill End, and Sandridgebury. 



The following ornithological notes are contributed by Mr. Henry 

 Lewis : — 



The song-thrush, nightingale, chiffchaff, blue tit, jay, and cuckoo 

 were heard. The robin, whitethroat, willow-wren, swallow, green- 

 finch, yellow-hammer, and skylark were both heard and seen. The 

 starling was seen, and a broken stai'ling's egg was found on the ground. 

 Nests were seen of the blackcap, chaflinch, and yellow-hammer, 

 containing eggs ; of the reed-bunting, containing young birds ; and 

 of the blackbird and wren, without either eggs or young birds. 

 "Wren's nests," Mr. Lewis adds, "which are often found of 

 imperfect construction, and containing no eggs, are called in the 

 country ' cock's nests.' They are supposed to be built by the male 

 bird for his own accommodation at night." 



