194 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



reported by Mr. Hunt, March 22ud. Chiffchaff, Phyllopneuste minor, 

 March 27th. Fieldfares, Tiirchis inlaris, and Redwings, T. iliacus, travelUug 

 northwards in considerable numbers, April 2nd. First Redstart, RuUcilla 

 phcenicura, of season, reported April 2nd. A nest of Wild Duck, Anas 

 boschas, was found by ray son on a broken-topped elm tree at about sixteen 

 feet from the ground, April 5 th. First Wryneck, Jijnx torqidUa, of season, 

 reported April 7th. A few Woodcocks, Scolopax rusticula, still linger about 

 our woods, and are to be seen " gladiug" at dusk, April 10th. First Ring 

 Ouzel, Turdus torquatus, of season, reported by Mr. Hunt, April 11th. 

 First Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, of season, reported April 11th. First 

 Swallows, Hirundo rustica, of season, reported April I'-ith. First reports 

 of Blackcap, Sylvia atricajnlla, and Willow Wren, Phyllopneuste trochilus, 

 this season, April 13th. First report of Sand Martin, Cotyle riparia, this 

 season, April 10th. Another nest of Wild Duck, Anas boschas, found 

 yesterday in our park in an elm tree, about fourteen feet from the ground. — 

 LiLFOKD (Lilford Hall, Oundle, April 25, 1884). 



Uncommon Birds in Hertfordshire. — During the past year (1883) 

 the following uncommon birds have come under my notice as having 

 occurred in this county, a more extended notice of which I have prepared 

 for 'The Transactions of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society': — 

 A pair of Twites, Linota flavirostris, were caught in bird-nets, during the 

 month of December, near the village of Albury, at the foot of the Chilterns, 

 and were exhibited for some time at Mr. Banfield's, bird dealer, Hemel 

 Hempstead. A Hoopoe, Upupa epops, in fine plumage, was shot near 

 Digswell, in the parish of Welwyn, in May, by Samuel Gooch, one of the 

 keepers on the Brocket Hall estate, and is still in his possession. The 

 Hoopoe is an irregular spring and autumn migrant. Several specimens 

 have at different limes been taken in Hertfordshire, but always at con- 

 siderable intervals. A " Ringtail," or female Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus, 

 was observed hy Mr. Marlborough R. Prj'or, at Weston Manor, near 

 Stevenage, on the 28th October, and on one or two subsequent occasions. 

 When only seen upon the wing it is very difficult to distinguish a female 

 Hen Harrier from the female of Montagu's Harrier. Mr. Pryor had a 

 good opportunity of observing the bird in question, and is well acquainted 

 with both species. Both from its general appearance and from the period 

 of the year at which it was seen he believed it was a Hen ILu'rier, and as 

 such I accept it. A White Stork, Ciconia alba, was shot somewhere about 

 the end of July, while resting on the top of a house near HoUield: it was 

 unmistakably identified. On the 28th and 29th of August two large flocks 

 of Dotterel, Eudromias morinellus, were reported by Mr. Percy F. Fordham 

 as having been observed at Royston Heath, and on September 24th a single 

 specimen, believed to be a bird of the year, was shot in turnips near Weston 

 Manor, Stevenage, by Mr, Marlborough R. Pryor. The Dotterel is a spring 



