onsERVKii IX HKitrKORDsnrRK IN 1897. 35 



HtNG-OuzEL (Tardus forqiiafm). — A bird of this species was shot 

 in the neighbourhood of I [it chin iu August aud was preserved. In 

 my report for 1890 I reviewed the various records of the occurrence 

 of this bird in Hertfordshire, and to that I wouhl refer anyone 

 desiring- further infoi-niatiou about the ring-ouzel in this county. 



Robin {Erithaciis ruhecula). — Miss Ada "Warner states that 

 a white robin was constantly seen about her garden in 1897. It 

 was evenly marked, having a white breast, red throat, and white 

 back, while the rest of the body was normal in colour. She 

 also informs me that a pair of robins built their nest in the box of 

 an old breeding-cage hanging outside an outhouse, and brought 

 up their brood successfully. 



Bearded Tit {Panurus hiarmicus). — Mr. IMiller Christy, in his 

 book on the ' Birds of Essex,' states that on the 12th of July, 1888, 

 Mr. E. Taylor saw a male of this species in a large reed patch 

 on the Herts side of the Biver Stort near Bishop's Stortford. 

 Mr. Taylor got within a dozen yards of the bird and was able 

 clearly to distinguish the long tail and black moustache. This 

 bird has occurred on two previous occasions in the county, both 

 of wliich are recorded in the 'Zoologist' for 1849. The late 

 Bev. James Williams, of Tring Park, stated that a pair of these 

 birds were shot on the Tring Beservoirs on the 21st of December, 

 1848 ; and Mr. Lucas, of Hitchin, recorded the occurrence of 

 a small flock in a reed bed on the banks of the Oughton near 

 that town. These birds were most probably migrants from the 

 reed beds of the Eastern Counties, which always seem to have been 

 the headquarters of this species in the British Isles. The drainage 

 of meres and fens, aided somewhat by the greed of collectors, has 

 done much to diminish the numbers of this bird, and Norfolk is 

 now the only county in which it is to be found in any numbers, 

 although it may occur to a very limited extent in one or two other 

 localities. 



Meadow-Pipit (Anthus pratensis). — Mr. Lucas informs me that 

 he has found the nest of this bird on Oughton Head Common, and 

 that he has also heard of it nesting at Ickleford. In my report for 

 1896 I stated that the only place in Hertfordshire where the fact 

 of the meadow-pipit nesting was thoroughly authenticated was 

 Boyston. I am now able to add these two places, which are both 

 in the locality of Hitchin. 



Pied Flycatcher [Muscicapa atricapilla). — Mr. Lucas informs 

 me that the specimen shot in Hitchin in the summer of 1896 

 was not preserved, owing to its being too badly damaged by the 

 shot. It was, however, carefully identified. On the 23rd of April 

 I saw a fine male of this species near Water End, Great Gaddesden, 

 and watched it for some time. It uttered a call-note something 

 like that of a tree-pipit {Anthus triviaUs), and kept on flying off 

 the branch or rail on which it happened to be sitting and catching 

 insects. Although the pied flycatcher has only been recorded 

 in Hertfordshire on five occasions, it is probable that it occurs in the 

 county annually on its migration. 



