THE BIRDS OF HERTFOKTISniRE. 93 



the county is tliat oue has been shot, and not many people have 

 had the good fortune that I had in 1895 to see, in ITcrtt'ordshire, 

 a peregrine stoop at a partridge. During the last twenty-live years 

 this bird has been recorded on at least fifteen occasions, and in 

 nearly every case it has been destroyed. The following are the 

 various records : — 1876, one shot at Hexton. 1878, a pair shot at 

 2^ewnhani, near Baldock. 1881, September 18th, a male shot at 

 Stoney Hills, near Bengeo, Hertford ; November 23rd, a female 

 shot at Bramfield, near Hertford. 1891, December, a female 

 shot at Cole Green. 1895, March 16th, a female (?) seen at 

 Pendley Manor, Tiing ; August, a male captured at Croxley Green. 

 1896, August 6th, a female killed at Northchurch, Eerkhamsted ; 

 December 20th, one shot near Elstree. 1897, iSeptember 3Uth, 

 a female shot at Newnham, near Baldock; December 15th, one 

 seen near Elstree ; autumn, one seen near Eoyston. In addition 

 to the above, Mr. Franklin, of Sandridge, owns one obtained near 

 that place, another was killed at Marshall's Wick, St. Albans, by 

 a keeper named Pangbourne, and Mr. Thrale, of No Man's Land, 

 also had two in his possession. 



116. Hobby (Falco subhiteo). — A hobby was shot in Hatfield 

 Park in 1879, and in 1881 a nest of this species with four eggs 

 was found in Moor Park. Mr. Latchmore, of Hitchin, has eggs 

 in his possession which were taken some years ago at Stevenage. 

 Mr. Niinn, of Royston, informed me that in 1847 this species was 

 not uncommon in the neighbourhood of Kelshall, but that the last 

 bird obtained in that parish, which is now in his possession, was 

 shot oft' the nest by a keeper in 1849. In 1885 a hobby was shot 

 on September 17th near Port Vale, and on 3rd July, 1887, another 

 was shot at Cowheath AVood, near Hoddesdon, and is now in the 

 possession of Mr. F. M. Campbell. 



117. Merlin [Falco cesalon). — Mr. William Lucas informs me 

 that this species has been obtained near Hitchin, but he can give 

 no particulars. At Tring two immature birds were shot in 

 February, 1886, and two adults were procured there in January, 

 1887. In December, 1896, a merlin was seen at Elstree. 



118. Kesteel (Falco tmnunculus). — No doubt this bird was 

 formerly a common resident in Hertfordshire, but it is now decidedly 

 on the decrease in many parts of the county owing to the foolishness 

 of gamekeepers. 



119. OsPREY (Fa7idton haliaetus). — In September, 1864, a pair 

 of ospreys frequented the Tring Reservoirs, and on the 30th of 

 that month the female was shot, but the male eventually dis- 

 appeared. In September, 1880, a female was shot in Hatfield 

 Park. In 1886 two "were seen at the Tring Reservoirs, and in 

 the next year a female was captured near Great Gaddesden on 

 September 17th. It lived in captivity for about six weeks, and 

 was eventually preserved and passed into the possession of 

 Mr. W. M. Sheriff, of Belsize Park, London. On the 19th of the 

 same month an osprey was seen fishing in the River Lea, near 

 Wheathampstead, and was shot. It proved to be a male. 



