OBSERVED IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1890. 
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never, in fact, leaving the coast, and very rarely the sea. How he 
got to Hertfordshire, unless he came by train, I cannot guess. He 
is, in fact, a purely sea-bird, seldom coming to the land, except to 
breed. The nest is always in a hole, some three feet or more 
deep, excavated by the bird itself, unless a rabbit-burrow is handy, 
in which case, as the sparrow treats the swallow, and the fox the 
badger, “Brer Babbit” is unscrupulously ejected. “Might is 
right,” and poor bunny has no chance against the powerful bill 
and sharp claws of the puffin. The bird lays one egg only, and 
it is as well, if you wish to take it, to dig it out, as the mother 
bites viciously with her powerful bill, and makes no scruple of 
attacking the intrusive hand. 
There is no more attractive place of rest for the wandering bird 
than the beautiful domain of Munden, and any one likely to take 
up its 'permanent quarters there would, I know, be carefully pro¬ 
tected by its owner, the Hon. Arthur Holland-Hibbert. Ho less 
than four rare visitants were observed by him during the frost, 
whose appearance he was kind enough to communicate to me. 
The Tufted Duck (Anas fuligula ).—This rare bird, rare, at least, 
in these latitudes, was shot by Mr. Hibbert, or by one of his 
keepers, during the frost. The bird, like the rest of the species 
of its genus, is an inhabitant of northern regions, making this its 
winter residence only. It wears a tuft on its head; hence the 
name. Its size is about two-thirds that of a wild duck. 
The Pochard {Anas ferina). —Mr. Hibbert’s keeper shot a pochard 
about the same time. This bird is also known as the dun-bird or 
red-headed pochard, from the prevailing colour of its head, a deep, 
uniform rufous. It is a winter visitant to these isles, and, though 
rarely seen so far inland as Hertfordshire, is found in great flocks in 
the localities it affects. The pochard is a true duck, and excellent 
eating; in fact it is closely allied to the far-famed canvas-backed 
duck of America. There it obtains an additional flavour from feeding 
on the wild rice and a species of grass-wrack or sea-grass which 
abounds in the neighbourhood it frequents. Like most of the duck 
tribe the pochards are night-feeding birds, and their shrill whistle 
may be heard at all times during the night as they seek their feeding- 
ground. In my'young days they were common enough on or about 
the great lake known as Whittlesea Mere, over which I have often 
slowly punted, and which I now pass over when I travel north¬ 
ward by the Great Northern Bail way. Wild fowl were cheap in 
those days. Ducks, which were designated as “whole birds,” 
were sold at Is. each, and other wild fowl, including dun-birds, 
widgeon, teal, etc., as “ half-birds,” at 6 d. each. 
The Bean Goose {Anser segetum ). —Another rare bird, the bean 
goose, is recorded by Mr. Hibbert as having visited the water in 
his park. We have five or six species of wild geese which visit our 
climes in the winter. The particular bird here recorded is not 
what is considered to be the type or origin of our tame geese. That 
honour is conferred on the wild goose proper {Anser ferns), from 
which the bean-goose differs but slightly. Its main peculiarity is 
