X PROCEEDINGS OP THE 



The President then, on behalf of himself and other members 

 of the Society, presented to the lionoraiy Secretary an elegant 

 drawing-room clock and side ornaments. In the course of a 

 complimentary speech he said that most of the members present 

 knew that Mr. John Hopkinsou might be regarded as the founder 

 of the Society, and that as he had now secured for himself a help- 

 mate — a lady who had distinguished herself in the field of botany — 

 it was thought a very suitable time to give him some token of their 

 regard and esteem. The subscribers were much indebted to Mr. 

 J. E. Littleboy, who had kindly acted as secretary and treasurer. 



Mr. Hopkinson briefly thanked the subscribers for their very 

 handsome present, and Dr. Brett for the kind way in which he had 

 alluded to his labours for the Society. 



Oedinaet Meeting, 8th November, 1877. 

 Alfred T. Brett, Esq., M.D., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " The Birds of Our District." By John E. Littleboy. ( Vide 

 p. 17.) 



2. A letter from Mr. George Booper, F.Z.S., to the President, 

 dated 29th October, 1877, on Birds observed near "Watford. 



Mr. Eooper stated that he had seen no really rare birds in this neighbourhood. 

 The game keepers, and more wickedly foolish still, the gardeners, destroyed 

 them. Of the less common birds he had a pair of hawfinches [Coccothransies 

 vulgaris) for a long time in his garden. They haunted an old quince tree, but 

 it was cut down, and they disappeared. A pair of nuthatches {tiitta ccesia) 

 might frequently be seen running up and down the trunk of a cedar before his 

 dining-room windows. These birds built in the cavity of a tree, and if, as 

 generally happened, the hole was too large for their approval, they plastered it 

 up in the most artistic manner. He had often seen the red-backed shrike 

 {Latiius colhirio) about Oxhey Wood, and once when hunting he had seen a 

 pair of buzzards {Buteo vulgaris) in a wood near Stevenage. Their congener 

 the kite {Milvus ictinns) was nearly extinct. The last he had seen was about 

 fifteen years since, near Hertford. A merganser [Mergus serrator) was shot at 

 Otterspool some years ago and sent to him. He was absent and his cook di-essed 

 it ! Green woodpeckers {Gccinus viridis) were occasionally seen in Cassiobury, 

 but not being "game birds" Forsdyke the keeper shot them. He thought that 

 the bustard {Otis tarda) had been practically long extinct. A solitary male 

 specimen appeared last year on Mr. Appleby's estate in Norfolk. He went to 

 great expense in procuring " a help meet for him," and the pair were shot in 

 the course of a week and set up by the talented taxidermist of the neighbour- 

 hood ! 



3. ''Notes on Birds observed near Hitchin." By James H. 

 Tuke. ( Vide p. 33.) 



Mr. John Evans, F.E.S., said that he could add one or two birds to Mr. 

 Littleboy's list, which were shot, unfortunately, in his own neighbourhood. One 

 was the bittern [Botaurus stdlaris) which be remembered being shot, 30 years 

 ago, at Boxmoor. In his own garden a godwit {Liiiwsa lapponica) was found, 

 which unfortunately died. He also remembered a quail [Coitumix comnnaus) 

 being shot in his neighbourhood. There were a few matters he might mention in 

 illustration of the habits of birds. He was not quite certain whether it had been 

 noticed in this neighbourhood that crocuses were cut off in the early spring. 



