52 H. LEWIS XOTES Olf BIEDS 



' History of British Birds. ''^' He also mentions another as having 

 been picked up alive between Baldock and Boyston.f 



The Puffin [Fratercula arctica). — About the end of last year 

 Mr. Seymour received a specimen of this sino;ularly comical-looking 

 bird, shot by the keeper on Boxford Farm, Bayfordbury. 



This quaint bird has been recorded in our ' Transactions ' on 

 several occasions. On Lundy Island it is abundant, with other 

 species of sea-birds, as I once had an opportunity of observing. 

 Mr. Seebohm states: "There can be little doubt that the puffin 

 is more or less a resident in the British seas, but it is less 

 frequently observed in winter, when it is scattered over a large 

 area, seldom approaching the land." He further informs us: 

 "Notwithstanding its somewhat small and narrow wings, which 

 seem almost incapable of bearing such a plump little body tlirough 

 the air, it is a bird of remarkably rapid and powerful flight. ":j: 

 Possibly this may account in some way for its comparatively 

 fi'equent occurrence in our county. 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



PiELDFARE [Turdus pilaris). — On the 7th of January, 1893, Mr. 

 Arthur Lewis observed continued flights of fieldfares coming fi'om 

 the north flying over his house, Sparrowswick, St. Albans. 



Bedbkeast [Erythacus rubecula). — Mr. J. Mills kindly presented 

 me with a robin's nest (containing five white eggs), built last spring 

 in an old tin pint mug. It was taken from the fork of a laurel, 

 about five feet from the ground, close to Lord Grimthorpe's house, 

 Batchwood, St. Albans. If the eggs are carefully examined, a very 

 few faint red markings will be seen. The ground-colour of a red- 

 breast's egg is shiny white, it is usually speckled, and streaked or 

 blotched with light red. 



Wood-Ween {Phylloscopiis sihilatrix). — "We were enabled last 

 spring to identify the wood- wren's song in Terulam Woods, St. 

 Albans, and again heard the same bird's song when on a pilgrimage 

 to Selbourne early last June. 



Tree-Cbeeper {Certhia familiaris). — Mr. Hopkinson observed a 

 tree-creeper last spring at Bricket Wood. I also noticed a pair, 

 and heard the bird's loud and pleasing song. From its small size 

 and sober colouiing, and habit of ascending the trunk of a tree in a 

 spiral fashion, suddenly stopping and then making a fresh start, it 

 is often overlooked. 



Hawfinch {Coccothrmistes vulgaris), and Tree-Spaeeow [Passer 

 montanus). — Mr. Spary has received specimens of these birds taken 

 in Hertfordshire during the year. 



Chaffinch {Fringilla ccelehs). — On the 17th of May Mr. Arthur 

 Dickinson informed me that he had noticed a chaffinch repeatedly 

 carrying away barley-meal to feed its young ones. 



Snow-Bunting {Pledrojjhanes nivalis). — Mr. "W. Norman reports 

 having received two or three snow-buntings, one knocked down 



* 1st Ed., vol. i, p. 360. f Ih. 

 X 'British Birds,' vol. iii, ^. 365. 



