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2. — The Bieds of Oue District, 

 Ey John E. Littleboy. 

 [Read 8th November, 1877.] 



It is certainly one of the advantages of our Society that it in- 

 cludes within its scope so large a variety of subjects, many of them 

 perfectly distinct in themselves and yet all more or less connected 

 by a common tie. At our last meeting we heard a most interesting 

 paper on "Famous Trees in Hertfordshire"; this evening I am 

 about to lay before you a few particulars respecting birds that have 

 been observed more especially in the neighbourhood of Hunton 

 Bridge and King's Langley, but it is my intention cursorily to allude 

 to other districts within our couuty. For much of the information 

 respecting birds in the King's Langley and Chippcrfield districts 

 I am indebted to Mr. Thomas Toovey ; and I have also to acknow- 

 ledge the assistance of several other gentlemen who have been good 

 enough to send me interesting particulars. And here I wish to say 

 that I do not pretend to approach this subject from its scientific side. 

 I confess to being a warm admirer of birds ; for years past I have 

 endeavoured to observe their habits, and it is in the capacity of an 

 observer, and in that alone, that I venture to address you. 



I have prepared a classified list, which I shall append to this 

 paper, of all the birds which I can record, with any degree of 

 certainty, as having been observed in the neighbourhood referred 

 to. They number ninety-two, I have also added the names of a few 

 others reported to have been shot by the gamekeeper at Munden, 

 and which are still preserved in the vestibule of Munden House, 

 With this list before me as a guide, I will now briefly allude to a 

 few particulars that I have been able to collect respecting some of 

 the birds mentioned, and I will commence with the Hawk tribe. 



It is a curious instance of retributive destiny that hawks, or 

 falcons as they were formerly called, are now ruthlessly destroyed 

 on account of the exercise of those very faculties and instincts 

 which in days gone by constituted them, beyond all others, the 

 most coveted and fashionable of birds. Of hawks we have only two 

 varieties, the kestrel and the sparrow-hawk ; the former is the most 

 abundant, and I may mention that a brood of young kestrels was 

 hatched during last season in Mr. Blackwell's rookery at Chipper- 

 field. Kestrels are almost invariably shot by gamekeepers, as be- 

 longing to a dangerous family. The old proverb "noscitur a sociis'^ 

 is not always to be depended on, and in this instance I believe the 

 practice to be a mistake. It is true that kestrels will occasionally 

 victimise a wounded partridge, but their food consists for the most 

 part of field-mice, grasshoppers, beetles, and earth-worms, and I 

 believe that they but rarely attack any bird larger than a lark. 



The sparrow-hawk is a far more courageous and daring fellow 

 than the kestrel. He appears to be naturally pugnacious, and will 

 attack birds much larger than himself. His favourite food is said 



VOL. II. PT. I. 2 



