A HISTORY OF 
for certainly the last thirteen years, is on 
Sandy Warren, which is accounted for with- 
out doubt by the great interest taken in 
these birds by Viscount Peel. 
113. Night-Heron. Nycticorax griseus (Linn.) 
In Montague’s Ornitholgical Dictionary, 
edited by Edward Newman, the following is 
recorded : ‘ We are informed by Lord Upper 
Ossary that this species was shot on the bor- 
ders of the river Ouse in the year 1791, a 
few miles from Ampthill, and that it is now 
in his lordship’s museum, It is remarkable, 
too, that the bird was killed in the summer.’ 
There is however no such specimen now in 
existence at Ampthill House, neither can I 
gain any additional information relating to 
the above occurrence. Mr. J. King once 
saw a bird alight in his meadows at Langford 
which seemed to him most probably of this 
species. He got within less than a hundred 
yards, and distinctly recognized its dark back 
as it rose. 
114. Little Bittern. Ardetta minuta (Linn.) 
A female or immature specimen, which 
was obtained in September 1894 by some 
youths whilst boating down the river, was 
shown to me by Mr. G. Pestell ; it had been 
shot as it sat upon the head of a pollard 
willow near Castle Mills. Upwards of thirty 
years ago a case containing two of these birds 
was sent to Mr. A. Covington for repairs. 
The owner informed him the birds had been 
killed in the county many years previously. 
These were evidently the specimens in the 
late Mr. T. Cane’s possession, of which 
similar particulars to the above were given. 
115. Bittern. Botaurus stellaris (Linn.) 
A visitant in most severe winters. The 
earliest record I can trace was one shot 
at Blunham about 1850, and in January 
1856 one is mentioned in the Zoolgist as ob- 
tained at Lawrence End near Luton. Mr. 
C. F. Woods mentions one killed at Tingrith 
Manor 1858-9, which he saw in the flesh. 
Since then there have been numerous records 
of this bird. ‘The spell of sharp weather that 
was experienced in the winter 1899-1900 
brought a remarkable number of bitterns into 
the British Islands, in several counties numer- 
ous records being given, and in Bedfordshire 
such a ‘bittern year’ is hardly likely to occur 
again. 
116. American Bittern. Botaurus lentiginosus 
(Montagu) 
An example of this rare straggler was shot 
BEDFORDSHIRE 
by Mr. Cocking from the brook by the old 
racecourse at Elstow 13 November 1886, and 
is still in his possession. Mr. Covington, in 
whose hands I saw the bird whilst being set 
up, informs me that it was a female, and in 
very good condition ; the stomach contained 
at the time the remains of three small dace 
and a water shrew. 
117. Grey Lag-Goose. Anser cinereus, Meyer. 
Probably a regular passing migrant in the 
spring and autumn, but very seldom alighting ; 
it may be occasionally observed in winter, 
From ‘The Bogs’ near Luton, which are now 
drained and under cultivation, Mr. T. Cane 
once saw three grey lag-geese that had been 
killed at one shot. The first and last of this 
species that ever came under Mr. Covington’s 
observation as having occurred locally were 
two that were brought into his shop about 
1868, by a farmer who had killed them from 
asmall flock at Ravensden. During the same 
winter another goose, evidently of the same 
species from the description given him at the 
time, was shot from a small ‘ gaggle’ (pro- 
bably the same birds) at Biddenham. 
118. White-Fronted Goose. 
(Scopoli) 
Probably this species need not be considered 
as rare with us, for although only two in- 
stances of its occurrence in the county can 
be given, the quantities of geese observed 
during any severe winter might frequently 
include this particular bird. Mr. A. Coving- 
ton mentions that a male was killed out of a 
flock of fourteen at Cople about 1863, and 
passed through his hands. Another, in the 
writer’s possession was shot from a party of 
four on the Cardington meadows on 19 De- 
cember 1901. 
Anser albifrons 
119. Bean-Goose. Anser segetum (J. F. 
Gmelin) 
There seems little doubt that the somewhat 
frequent information received of ‘grey’ geese 
haunting the neighbourhood of our waterways 
during the more severe winters would gener- 
ally refer to this particular species, which usually 
occurs in small ‘ gaggles’ of five or six up to 
fifteen or twenty in number; at times far 
larger flocks appear. Mr. P. Addington shot 
two bean-geese from a flight of seven along 
the Ouse at Wyboston Corner in January 
about 1870, one of which I have examined ; 
one in the possession of Mr. J. King was 
killed from a small flight at Southill on 10 
December 1871, and two were shot from a 
flock of seven that were on the Biddenham 
and Kempston meadows 28 December 1883. 
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