BIRDS 



field close to Symond's Hyde Wood in the 

 parish of Sandridge by Mr. A. F. Griffith, who 

 had no doubt that it nested there. 



89. Short-toed Lark. Alauda brachydactyla, 



Leisler. 



On March gth, 1886, the Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild obtained a bird of this species in 

 Tring Park while shooting food for a tame 

 owl, and the bird is I believe now in the 

 Tring Museum. 



90. Swift. Cypselus apus (Linn.). 



This is a common summer visitor, which 

 arrives about the beginning of May and leaves 

 usually early in August. 



91. Nightjar. Caprimulgus europteus. Linn. 

 This bird is fairly plentiful throughout the 



county wherever suitable localities are to be 

 found, and arrives towards the middle of May. 

 It has a curious habit when put up of flapping 

 its wings together, much after the style, 

 though on a smaller scale, of the wood-pigeon 

 (Columba palumbus). 



92. Wryneck. lynx torquilla y Linn. 



This species is a regular summer visitor, 

 arriving early in April. 



93. Green Woodpecker. Gecinus viridis 



(Linn.). 



This is a fairly plentiful resident throughout 

 the county. 



94. Great Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopus 



major (Linn.). 



This is a bird which may be described as 

 not uncommon in Hertfordshire ; in fact on 

 the western side of the county it is plentiful. 



95. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopus 



minor (Linn.). 



This bird is hardly as common as the last- 

 mentioned species, and on account of its 

 shyness is far less often seen. At the same 

 time it cannot be called uncommon in Hert- 

 fordshire. 



96. Kingfisher. Alcedo ispida, Linn. 



This beautiful bird is to be found in most 

 parts of the county, though in some districts 

 it undergoes much persecution from bird- 

 catchers, who put up silk nets under the 

 bridges, and then frighten the birds towards 

 them. 



97. Roller. Coracias garrulus, Linn. 



The Rev. C. A. Johns in his book British 

 Birds in their Haunts states that a roller was 

 obtained on September 2Oth, 1852, close to 

 his garden. He was then residing at Callipers, 

 Chipperfield Common. This is the only ex- 

 isting record of this species in Hertfordshire. 



98. Hoopoe. Upupa epops, Linn. 



This handsome bird has been recorded in 

 our county on two occasions only. In May, 

 1882, an example in fine plumage was shot 

 by a keeper named Gooch at Brocket Hall in 

 the parish of Welwyn. The other bird had 

 a happier time so far as Hertfordshire was 

 concerned, although I am afraid it came to a 

 bad end over the borders. It was seen in 

 April, 1882, by Mr. Joseph Procter near the 

 Hoo, Great Gaddesden, but did not remain 

 long in the neighbourhood, and the fact that 

 a hoopoe was killed near Wendover a few 

 days later rather points to an unfortunate 

 ending for this bird also. 



99. Cuckoo. Cucu/us canorus, Linn. 



This is a common summer visitor, arriving 

 about the second or third week in April. The 

 following is the list of nests in which this 

 bird's egg has been found in Hertfordshire : 

 stonechat, hedge-sparrow, pied wagtail, reed- 

 warbler, whitethroat, swallow and meadow- 

 pipit. 



100. White or Barn Owl. Strix flammea, 



Linn. 



This is a fairly plentiful species. Unfor- 

 tunately it is a favourite bird to have stuffed, 

 and this fact, in addition to the persecution it 

 undergoes from keepers, does a great deal to 

 prevent it from becoming commoner. 



10 1. Long-eared Owl. Am otus (Linn.). 

 The long-eared owl is rather locally dis- 

 tributed in Hertfordshire, although where it 

 does occur it is by no means rare. As it is 

 partial to fir plantations there are not many 

 districts in the county where it is likely to be 

 common, but it is to be found in many of the 

 fir spinneys on the northern border, especially 

 in the neighbourhood of Hitchin. 



O2. Short - eared Owl. Asia accipitrinus 



(Pallas). 



This bird is only a winter visitor, appearing 

 some years in considerable numbers, though 

 generally rather locally. It is often flushed 

 out of turnips and rough grass in October and 

 November. 



103. Tawny Owl. Syrnium aluco (Linn.). 

 This owl is no doubt plentiful in parts of 



the county where there are old trees, but 

 like its white relative it suffers considerable 

 persecution. It is a bird which seems much 

 inclined to make attacks on people who are 

 passing near its nest, and one or two instances 

 are on record of this happening in Hertford- 

 shire. In 1899 Mr. H. G. Fordham sent me 

 a specimen which had been killed by flying 

 against the telegraph wires near Odsey. This 



205 



