X. 



A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF HERTFORDSHIRE. 



By Alan F. Ckossman, F.L.S. 



Read at Watford, I3th December, 1898. 



This list of the Birds of Hertfordshire has heen compiled by me 

 from information obtained from the various Reports which have 

 appeared from time to time in the ' Transactions ' of this Society, 

 and of its predecessor the Watford Natural History Society. I do 

 not vouch for the accuracy of all the records, but have taken them 

 as I found them in the Reports, adding thereto information which 

 1 have myself obtained. Some of the records which are included 

 in this paper are in my opinion very open to doubt, and require 

 corroboration before one can consider them as properly authenticated. 

 I have enumerated almost every species which has been recorded 

 in our 'Transactions,' but at the same time I must point out 

 that several of the birds are undoubtedly introduced species, and 

 that one at least is most probably a mere escape. By introduced 

 species I should say that I refer to birds which have originally 

 not inhabited the British Isles, but which, having been turned 

 down, have now become practically naturalized. There was no 

 actual list of the birds of Hertfordshire in existence, and anyone 

 interested in our county fauna had to wade through the ' Trans- 

 actions ' of about 25 years to obtain a general knowledge of our 

 birds. This list, I hope, will partially get over that difficulty, and 

 if it is the means of furthering the knowledge of the birds of 

 Hertfordshire, it will have done its work. Perhaps also it may 

 be the means of bringing forward additional evidence in those cases 

 which are to my mind doubtful at present, so that such records 

 may be either expunged from our list or may be more firmly 

 established therein. 



1. Missel-Thrtjsh {Tardus viscivoriis). — Resident. Common in 

 wooded localities. 



2. Song-Thrush {Turdus musiciis). — A common resident. 



3. Redwing {I'urdus iliacus). — A fairly plentiful winter visitor 

 in varying numbers, usually ariiving towards the end of October. 



4. Fieldfare [Tur dm pilaris). — A common winter visitor, ap- 

 pearing about the beginning of November. 



5. Blackbird {Tardus merula). — A common resident. Pied 

 varieties have frequently been seen in the county. 



6. Ring-Ouzel {Tardus torquatus). — Although this bird is not 

 recorded annually, it is probably a fairly regular visitor on the 

 spring and autumn migration. One very noticeable fact about its 

 visits is the late date on which it has often been seen. 



7. Rock-Thrush {Monticola saxatilis). — The only authenticated 

 instance of the occurrence of this species in the British Isles is 

 that of a specimen obtained on 19th May, 1843, at Therfield, in 

 Hertfordshire. The bird was a male, and was examined in the 



