OBSERVED IN nERTFORDSniRE IX 1897. 39 



at present ascertain, are the only recorded occurrences of this species 

 iu Hertfordshire. 



Great Snipe [Gallinano major). — A bird of this species was sliot 

 at Slip End, in the pari!>h of Saudou, by Mr. J. H. Phillips, 

 of Royston, on September 11th. It was a female, and was sent to 

 Mr. Burton, of Wardour Street, for preservation. The bird is now 

 in the possession of Mr. Phillips. In the report for 1896, I stated 

 that this bird had been recorded in Herts on two occasions. 

 Mr. Howard Saunders, in his ' Manual of British Birds,' says that 

 " the adult may be distinguished from the common snipe by its 

 larger size, proportionately shorter legs and bill, more boldly barred 

 underparts, and especially by the very much greater amount of 

 white in the tail feathers, which are normally sixteen (exceptionally 

 eighteen in the moidt) and not fourteen in number. In the young 

 bird the tail feathers are barred across both webs, but their ground 

 colour is of a pure white or buff, and not mottled, as in the 

 common snipe." 



Dunlin (^Tringa alpina). — Nine of these birds were seen at the 

 Reservoirs on June 5th, while a bird of the season was shot at 

 Mordan about the beginning of July. 



Green Sandi-iper {Tota7ius ochrojyus). — Four green sandpipers 

 were seen at Tring by Street on May l'2th. This is a bird which 

 occurs regularly in Hertfordshire on migration. 



Redshank [Totanus calidris). — Street reports the occurrence of 

 four redshanks at Tring on May 18th. This bird very rarely 

 occurs in this county, although one would expect it occasionally 

 at the Tring Reservoirs. 



Greenshank {Totanus canescens). — This bird occurred at the 

 Reservoirs in May, three being seen there on the 13th of that 

 month. 



Curlew {Numenius arquatus). — Mr. E. P. Thompson informs 

 me that some of these birds were seen at Elstree in July. On 

 October 16th Street saw sixteen curlews at the Tring Reservoirs. 

 These birds apparently appear in Hertfordshire annually on 

 migration. 



Black Tern {ITj/drochelidon nigra). — On May 9th Street saw 

 between seventy and eighty of these birds at the Reservoirs, and 

 on June 1 0th he saw three. This species is also a regular visitor on 

 migration. 



Common Tern {Sterna Jluviatilis). — A large party of common 

 terns were seen at the Reservoirs by Street on May 13th. This 

 species usually occurs there in considerable numbers during the 

 month of May. 



Lesser Tern {Sterna mmuta).— street reports that six birds of 

 this species appeared at the Reservoirs on May 14th. This makes 

 the third year in succession in which I have been able to record 

 the occurrence of this tern at Tring. 



Common Gull {Lams canus). — In 1896 this bird occurred 

 frequently at the Reservoirs, but last year Street only saw the 

 species on one occasion, viz., six on September 4th. 



