BIRDS 



through my field-glasses for some time, satis- 

 fying myself that it had two wing spots, 

 therefore being L. excubitor. The flight of 

 this bird was very like that of the red-backed 

 species ; the tail seemed very long, and the 

 black and white wings and tail appeared 

 very conspicuous when flying. The bird 

 generally sat on the top of a thornbush with 

 its body bent very much forward. Mr. 

 Latchmore of Hitchin informs me that he 

 has in his possession an example of this species 

 which was shot on Norton Common near 

 Baldock. 



49. Red-backed Shrike. Lanius co/lurio, Linn. 

 This is a regular summer visitor to Hert- 

 fordshire, arriving about the middle of May, 

 and so far as the Berkhamsted district is con- 

 cerned, is decidedly on the increase. 



50. Woodchat Shrike. Lanius pomeranus, 



Sparrman. 



This shrike has occurred in Hertfordshire 

 on two occasions, both of which are mentioned 

 by Mr. O. V. Aplin in his paper on the 

 occurrence of this species in the British Isles 

 in the Zoologist for 1892. In 1856 Mr. 

 Tuck reported in the Zoologist that a wood- 

 chat had been shot near Baldock in the 

 spring, and had been mounted by Mr. Norman 

 of Royston ; while in May, 1873, the Rev. 

 H. A. Macpherson saw one near Hertford, 

 and recorded it in the Transactions of the 

 Cumberland and Westmorland Association. 



5 1 . Waxwing. Ampelis garrulus, Linn. 

 The first Hertfordshire specimen of the 



waxwing was shot about a mile from Tring 

 on the Aylesbury road, about 1851. In 

 January, 1870, Mr. How shot one at Cupid's 

 Green near Hemel Hempstead, and the bird 

 is, I believe, still in his possession. The late 

 Dr. Brett mentioned that one was shot in 

 the Watford Fields in 1874. Two were shot 

 near Ware in 1881, and are in the possession 

 of Mr. Chapman of Bennington ; while the 

 Hon. Walter Rothschild informed Mr. Little- 

 boy that a waxwing was obtained at Tring in 

 March, 1883. In 1893 a specimen was 

 picked up on the banks of the river Lea near 

 Hertford, in January ; and on February 27th 

 two were shot from a party of five which 

 were feeding on the fruit of the wild rose at 

 Northaw. In the autumn of 1895 two of 

 these birds were shot at Radlett by Mr. Clarke 

 the station-master, in whose possession they 

 now are. 



52. Pied Flycatcher. Muscicapa atricapilla, 



Linn. 



This species can unfortunately only be 

 included in the Hertfordshire list as an occa- 



sional visitor. It has been recorded on about 

 seven occasions. In 1879 one was shot near 

 Royston during the summer ; it was stuffed 

 by the late William Norman, and remained 

 in his collection till his death, when the col- 

 lection was, I believe, sold ; where this par- 

 ticular specimen went to I do not know. It 

 was not until 1887 that this bird was again 

 recorded in the county ; in that year one was 

 shot near Stevenage on May I3th. In 1896 

 an example was obtained at Hitchin, but was 

 so badly damaged that it could not be pre- 

 served ; it was, however, carefully identified 

 before being thrown away. In the following 

 year I saw a fine male near Great Gaddesden 

 on April 23rd, and spent some time in watch- 

 ing it. I was first struck by the white on 

 the bird, which was in splendid plumage. Its 

 movements were very similar to those of the 

 spotted flycatcher, and its note was somewhat 

 like the call-note of a tree-pipit (A. trivia/is). 

 On April 24th, 1898, and the two following 

 days, the Hon. A. Holland-Hibbert saw a 

 male in his garden at Munden near Watford, 

 and had many opportunities of watching it. 

 In the present year he again saw a male bird 

 at Munden ; this was on April 8th, which 

 seems an exceptionally early date for the 

 species. In the Trans. Herts Nat. Hist. Soc. 

 1893, vol. vii., there is mention made of an 

 example of this species, which was included 

 in the list of Hertfordshire Quadrupeds, Birds 

 and Insects which had been preserved by a 

 Mrs. Young of Bennington. 



53. Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola, 



Linn. 



This is an annual visitor, and may be found 

 nesting all over the county. It usually arrives 

 about the beginning of May, but has been 

 seen at times about a week earlier. 



54. Swallow. Hirundo rustica, Linn. 



This is a regular summer visitor to Hert- 

 fordshire, arriving usually about the first or 

 second week in April, and leaving us in 

 September or early in October. This is one 

 of the nests in which the cuckoo's egg has 

 been found in the county. 



55. House-Martin. Cbelidon urbica (Linn.). 



The house-martin is also a summer visitor, 

 which comes here usually rather later than 

 the last species, but which leaves about the 

 same time. 



56. Sand-Martin. Cotile riparia (Linn.) 



This species is usually the first of the 

 Hirundinidts to arrive, often making its appear- 

 ance at the end of March. 



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