OBSERVED IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1910. 283 
Hertford, and within a quarter of a mile of the G-reat Eastern 
Railway Station in that town. The grounds in question lie in 
the Lea Valley. The nest was made during the first week in 
May, and four eggs were laid. These were carefully protected 
by the owner of the estate, and were guarded, so far as possible, 
by his gardener. All the eggs were hatched out, but while the 
old birds were seen about for four or five weeks after incubation 
was complete, the young birds were not seen after the first day 
or two. Mr. Graveson fears, therefore, that some unkind fate 
may have overtaken them in their infancy, but if that did really 
happen I hardly think the parent birds would have continued to 
haunt the place for so long afterwards. I hope the birds will 
return this year (1911). 
Redshank ( Totanus calidris). —Mr. Headley reports that these 
birds are increasing in number, and also extending their range 
in the Lea Valley. Mr. Oldham writes: “ On August 28tli, 
a wet night with wind from south, I heard, from 10.20 to 11.45, 
the cries of passing redshanks. Sometimes they were single, and 
repeated at intervals of a second or two, at other times there was 
a chorus of several voices, and now and then a silent interval of 
several minutes.” 
Whimbrel ( Numenius jphseopus). —Mr. Oldham also reports 
the passage of a whimbrel over Watford on August 27th, and 
another on August 28th. 
Terns.—The same observer reports a black tern ( HydrocJielidon 
nigra ) at Marswortli Reservoir on August 14th ; a little tern 
(, Sterna minuta) on September 4th ; and a party of no less than 
twenty-eight common terns ( Sterna fluviatilis) on the spring 
migration on May 20th. 
Gulls.—Mr. Oldham also reports black-headed gulls ( Larus 
ridibundus) on September 4th and 18th at the Tring Reservoirs, 
and on the former of these dates a flock of from thirty to forty 
lesser black-backed gulls (Larus f uscus ). 
Little Auk (Mergulus alle). —Mr. H. R. Leach, of Rickmans- 
worth, reports that an adult female little auk was taken alive in 
the canal there on November 21st, and that it was kept alive for 
two days. It is now in his own collection. Mr. Leach also 
reports that a second bird was seen flying about the river near 
Mill End on November 28th, and adds : “ Also on Sunday, when 
over at Amersham, I am almost certain I saw seven others 
swimming about on Shardeloes. In the heavy rain and mist it 
was difficult to truly identify them; they were certainly small 
black and white divers, and looked smaller than little grebes, of 
which some were present at the time.” Mr. G. E. Bullen (The 
County Museum, St. Albans) also reports that “a little auk 
(male) was picked up alive in an exhausted condition, and very 
dirty, at Kennesbourne Green, Harpenden, on December 3rd. 
The specimen, which is now in the Museum, had broken its beak 
and severely damaged its cranium, probably by coming in contact 
with telegraph wires.” 
