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IY. 
A REVIEW OF HERTFORDSHIRE ORNITHOLOGY. 
Ey William Eickertoh. 
Read at Watford , 24 th February, 1903. 
Although the Watford Natural History Society was formed in 
January, 1875, there appears to have been no systematic attempt 
at collecting, recording, and classifying information on the birds of 
the county until the end of 1877. Stray notes on birds were, 
however, brought before the notice of the members, and specimens 
of rare, or at any rate uncommon species were exhibited at the 
meetings. Doubtless these casual and incidental references to the 
subject gradually evolved in the minds of those members of the 
old Society who were interested in the study of birds the desire to 
approach this study on more systematic and scientific lines, so as 
not only to lay before the members some serious results of their 
labours, but also to establish the facts relating to the avifauna of 
our county in the general records of Eritish ornithology. 
The first paper on Hertfordshire ornithology was read on the 
8th November, 1877, by the late Mr. J. E. Littleboy, and was 
entitled “ The Eirds of our District.” The district referred to was 
that of Hunton Eridge and King’s Langley, hut casual observa¬ 
tions on the birds of some other portions of the county were 
included. Appended to the paper was a first list, duly classified, 
of 92 recorded species. A further list of 17 very uncommon birds, 
shot apparently between the years 1840 and 1850, and preserved 
at Munden House, was added, together with a third list of 10 rare 
birds observed near Hitchin, and a fourth list of 2 birds only, shot 
at South End near Redbourn. The total number of species in 
these four lists is 121, but as four of the species occur in more 
than one list, the actual number of separate species recorded is 
117. These lists form the first really scientific contribution to the 
ornithology of the county, and it is upon them as a foundation that 
the work of subsequent observers has been based. 
At the succeeding meeting of the Society", held on the 13th 
December, 1877, it was formally decided to keep an official register 
of the birds of the countyq and naturally 7 Mr. Littleboy was 
appointed as first recorder of birds for the Society. This important 
office he filled for a period of ten years, 1878-87. 
Upon his death in the latter year, Mr. John Hopkinson, F.L.S., 
temporarily undertook the work, and he in turn was succeeded by 
Mr. George Hooper, E.Z.S., 1889-90, Mr. Henry Lewis, 1891-94, 
and Mr. A. E. Crossman, F.L.S., 1895-1901. Early in 1902 
I undertook the duties of Recorder in succession to Mr. Crossman, 
hut I am afraid that the zealous and indefatigable labours of my 
predecessors have left me very little to do in the way of recording- 
species new to the county. 
