232 
W. BICKERTON-NOTES ON BIRDS 
nest every day, found tliat they only took their first flight on 
October 21st. There were three young, and they daily, from, 
about 12 to 3, took their flights, accompanied by the old birds, 
always returning to the nest, until the 29th, when all disappeared, 
for on the 30th the nest was deserted. 
“ On November 3rd I saw in the afternoon three martins flying 
about near the house, but well up in the air, and on November 4th 
my gardener also saw three. Could these be our three young birds 
deserted by their parents ? If so, what has become of them ? 
“ Is not this a very late date for the young birds to leave the 
nest, and is not the north-east side of the house rather an unusual 
position for a nest ? A pair also built, early in the summer, on the 
south-east side of the house, hatched off their young, and disappeared. 
“It is singular that though we have occupied this house for 
twenty years this is the first occasion of martins building here.” 
Goldfinch ( Carduelis elegans). —Good news continues to be re¬ 
ceived as to the increase of this charming little bird. Mr. Vaughan 
states : “ After being reduced almost to vanishing point, goldfinches 
are certainly increasing in number. I saw several at different 
places about here.” 
Tree-Sparrow (Passer montanus). —Mr. A. Crossman, in his list 
of the birds of Hertfordshire, refers to this bird as “a scarce 
resident.” Tor the first time I have found the bird nesting in 
the immediate vicinity of Watford during the past year. It so 
closely resembles the house-sparrow that very careful observation 
is necessary to distinguish it, and the difficulty is increased by the 
fact that the house - sparrow, unable to find sufficient domestic 
accommodation in all the spouts and holes and crannies of all the 
houses and buildings in all the towns and villages in England, has 
taken to nesting in trees to a great extent during recent years. 
Of the handsome Jay (Garrulus glandarius ), Mr. M. Vaughan, 
Haileybury, reports the increasing scarcity, while of its congener 
the magpie (Pica rustica ) he states: “I have only seen two near 
here in 28 years. It used to breed almost in the College grounds.” 
In the Watford district I have seen only one magpie in 5J years; 
the jay, however, is pretty common in all our large woods. Both 
these birds are extremely fond of other birds’ eggs, hence their 
persecution by gamekeepers. 
Hooded or Boyston Crow ( Corvus cornix). —Mr. F. W. Headley 
reports that these winter visitors to our eastern counties are often 
to be seen in the Haileybury district. In 1904 they first appeared 
on November 21st. A specimen shot near St. Albans in the 
autumn is now in the County Museum there. I have never seen 
this bird in the Watford district. 
Greater Spotted Woodpecker (Pendrocopus major). —Mr. Vaughan 
reports that a bird of this rare species flew over the cricket-field 
at Haileybury on October 14th. For the first time in 5 \ years 
I have had the pleasure of watching one. This was in the Oxhey 
Woods in November. The green woodpecker (Gecinus viridis) is, 
I feel sure, increasing in the Watford district. 
