A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



having been shot there in February, 1886, 

 while two adults were procured in January, 

 1887. The only other record I have is of 

 one seen at Elstree in December, 1896. 



1 1 6. Kestrel. Falco tinnunculus. Linn. 

 This small hawk is, I am sorry to say, 



being gradually exterminated in many parts 

 of the county, though it is still common in 

 the more open districts. There is really very 

 little excuse for this, as although it does 

 take young game birds, the amount of mice 

 and other small vermin it destroys quite 

 counterbalances any damage it does. Unless 

 some steps are taken by landowners generally 

 to stop their keepers killing this bird, I am 

 afraid it also will become a thing of the past. 



117. Osprey. Pandion balia'e'tus (Linn). 

 Hertfordshire can boast of several fine pieces 



of water, some of which have been visited by 

 this bird. The reservoirs at Tring have been 

 favoured on two occasions, the first being in 

 September, 1864, when a pair stayed there for 

 some days : eventually on the 3Oth the 

 female was shot, the male happily escaping. 

 In September, 1886, two more visited the 

 reservoirs. In the same month in 1880 a 

 female was procured in Hatfield Park ; it 

 obtained its food from the river Lea, and was 

 in the neighbourhood some days before it was 

 shot. It measured 5 feet 6 inches across the 

 wings and 2 feet in length, and was in 

 splendid plumage. Another specimen was 

 killed in the parish of Great Gaddesden on 

 September I7th, 1887. It was fired at but 

 only winged, and was with great difficulty 

 captured and taken to the late J. E. Littleboy 

 for identification. It was kept alive for some 

 six weeks, being fed on live fish, but refusing 

 to take them when dead. It eventually died 

 and was preserved. This bird measured 

 5 feet 2 inches across the wings. On the 

 following day a male was observed fishing at 

 Wheathampstead in the river Lea. This 

 also was shot and preserved. 



1 1 8. Cormorant. Phalacrocorax carlo (Linn.). 

 In November, 1878, a cormorant was shot 



on the Tring reservoirs, where others were 

 seen in October, 1880, and on October 3151, 

 1895. A young bird was picked up dead 

 near Royston on October I5th, 1881, while 

 on September 5th, 1885, a cormorant was 

 seen near Watford. In March, 1886, another 

 was shot near Park Street, St. Albans, and on 

 November 4th, 1899, Mr. M. R. Pryor, 

 while covert shooting near Stevenage, saw 

 three cormorants fly over. On December 

 3 ist, or the following day, another went over 

 him within gunshot. 



119. Gannet. Sula bassana (Linn). 



Mr. Archer of Sandridge had a bird of 

 this species which was captured alive near 

 that place in August, 1884. The second 

 Hertfordshire specimen was picked up also 

 alive on September 291)1, 1885, near Brocket 

 Hall, Welwyn. This was a young bird. 

 Mr. M. R. Pryor also picked up a gannet 

 alive near Weston some years ago. It was 

 kept by him for about a week, and is now in 

 the possession of Mr. W. A. Farr. 



1 2O. Common Heron. Ardea cinerea, Linn. 

 This species has so far as my knowledge 



goes no regular nesting-place in the county, 

 although isolated nests have from time to 

 time been found. In 1881 a pair nested near 

 the Broadwater in Hatfield Park. It occurs 

 of course in most parts of the county while 

 in search of food, but these birds must come 

 from heronries outside our borders. 



121. Little Bittern. Ardetta minuta (Linn.). 

 The first record of this bird with us occurs 



in Mr. Harting's book on the Birds of Middle- 

 sex, in which he states that a specimen was 

 obtained at Elstree reservoir in 1840. This 

 bird became the property of the late F. Bond, 

 and was no doubt sold with the rest of his 

 collection on his death, but where it is now I 

 do not know. The second Hertfordshire ex- 

 ample was one shot on October I7th, 1884, 

 by Mr. E. N. Beningfield, near the Cartha- 

 gena Weir on the river Lea near Broxbourne. 

 This bird was mounted by Gunn of Norwich. 



122. Bittern. Botaurus stellaris (Linn.). 

 Hertfordshire has few attractions to offer 



to this species, which probably accounts for 

 the fact that it has not often been recorded in 

 the county. It has however nested here on 

 one occasion, a nest with four eggs having 

 been found at one of the Tring reservoirs by 

 the Rev. James Williams in July, 1849. 

 One of these eggs is now in the possession of 

 Professor Newton. The next record I can 

 find is of an example now in the possession of 

 Mr. Griffin, taxidermist, of Rickmansworth, 

 which was obtained near there about 1865. 

 Mr. A. H. Smith informed the late J. E. 

 Littleboy that a bittern was shot near Staple- 

 ford on January 3rd, 1871, while Sir John 

 Evans mentioned one procured near Boxmoor 

 some years prior to 1877. On January 24th, 

 1 88 1, a bittern in fine plumage, which 

 measured 26 inches in height to the top of 

 the head and 1 5 inches to the shoulder, was 

 shot at Hoddesdon, where another was obtained 

 during the severe winter of 1890-91. Two 

 bitterns, which probably went into the Tring 

 collection, were taken at Tring on November 



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