86 
J. E. LITTLEBOY—NOTES ON BIEDS 
most regular of our summer migrants, and I have never before 
recorded it during tbe winter months. It is probable that it was 
hatched late in the season, and did not arrive at maturity in time 
to accompany its fellows southward. It would certainly have died 
during the recent cold weather. 
Dipper ( Cinclus aquaticus). —I find that in the ‘ Zoologist ’ of 
1849, p. 2346, Mr. William Lucas, of Hitchin, recorded the occur¬ 
rence of the dipper on the stream near West Mill. 
Waxwing ( Ampelis garrulus). —Mr. Francis J. Butcher informs 
me that a waxwing was shot some years ago about a mile from 
Tring, on the Aylesbury road. It has been mounted and is pre¬ 
served. 
Pied Flycatcher ( Muscicapa atricapilla). —Mr. William Hill, 
jun., of Hitchin, informs me that a pied flycatcher was shot near 
Stevenage during the second week of May. It is a very rare bird, 
and only once before has it found a place in our register. 
Great Grey Shrike ( Lanius excubitor). —Mr. Marlborough R. 
Pryor has been fortunate in observing a great grey shrike under 
somewhat unusual circumstances. This interesting bird is a regular 
winter visitor to our county, but on this occasion it made its 
appearance in the parish of Willian, near Stevenage, in the month 
of July. Respecting it Mr. Pryor writes as follows:—“ I saw the 
bird within six yards, and I saw it at least a dozen times. I con¬ 
sulted Dresser’s plates, and I have as little doubt as possible about 
it. Had 1 suspected it to be Lanius minor , I should have strained 
my conscience and shot it.” It is quite possible that it may have 
been, as Mr. Pryor suggests, an early migrant on its journey south¬ 
ward. Mr. William Hill, jun., writes to me as follows :—“ A 
great grey shrike was captured by a professional bird-catcher to 
the westward of Hitchin, quite at the end of November or early in 
December. It attacked the call-bird, which was pegged to the 
ground, and the man pulled his net over it. It was then put into 
a cage with a hedge-sparrow, which it immediately attacked and 
killed. After careful identification it was released in Mr. Tuke’s 
garden, apparently none the worse for its experience. During its 
short captivity it was most pugnacious.” 
Kingfisher ( Alcedo Ispida). —Mr. Robert Pryor, of High Elms, 
Watford, writes to me as follows, under date 7th July, 1887 :— 
“In an old disused chalk-pit near my house, a pair of kingfishers 
have this year selected a hole between the chalk and the gravel for 
a nest. The pit must be more than a mile from the nearest water 
at Kytes and Garston, and nearly two miles from the River Colne. 
Two of the young birds were found dead below the nest.” 
Cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus). —Dr. A. T. Brett has sentfto me the 
following note :—“ On the 14th of August I saw on the lawn at 
Cassiobury a young cuckoo, and now and then a pied wagtail would 
come and feed it, sometimes alighting on the back of the cuckoo, 
when it would turn its head to be fed, and at others feeding it from 
the ground. The same thing was observed last year, but the 
species of the small bird that did the feeding could not he ascer- 
