BIRDS 167. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis, Linn. Small parties of golden plover may usually be seen with the flocks of lapwings during the winter, arriving and departing with the commoner bird, but occasionally immense flocks appear more in the open country on the north, although good-sized parties are often seen at Tring. In 1882 golden plovers were seen near Hertford during the months of August and September, which is unusually early for them to arrive. 1 68. Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica (Linn.). This bird, to the best of my knowledge, has only occurred in Hertfordshire on three occasions. The first was obtained at Tring in March, 1885, where another was shot by Mr. Ernest Hartert on December I2th, 1897, while he was waiting for duck ; this second bird was a male in fine plumage. The third specimen was a female, which was picked up near Royston in the spring of 1893, having come in contact with the telegraph wires. 169. Lapwing or Peewit. Vanellus vulgaris, Bechstein. This bird nests in small numbers through- out the county, but it is only in the winter that they occur in any quantities. Then very often they are to be seen in enormous flocks from the beginning of December well on into February, more especially in the open country to the north of the county. 170. Oyster-Catcher. H&matopus ostra/egus, Linn. This species was first recorded in this county in April, 1866, when one was shot at Elstree reservoir, another being killed at the same place by Mr. Wilshin in February, 1868. In 1897 an oyster-catcher was obtained at Tring on September 24th, while two were shot at Rickmansworth in November, 1898. Two more were also observed at Elstree on April loth, 1899. 171. Grey Phalarope. Phalaropus fulkarius (Linn.). In the seventies an example of this species was shot at Grove Mill near Hitchin by Mr. Latchmore, in whose possession it now is. In October, 1885, one was obtained at Tring, where four more were procured in the corres- ponding month in 1891, while in December, 1899, another was picked up dead in a wood called 'Stubbings' at Tring Park. This latter bird was quite fresh when found, and was very lean, as if starved. In November, 1891, a grey phalarope was shot out of a small pond at Chiltern Green by a Mr. Piggott. 172. Woodcock. Scolopax rusticula, Linn. This well-known bird is an annual visitor to Hertfordshire, arriving usually in October. A few pairs also occasionally stay to breed here, the nest having been found at Tring Park, Hoddesdon, Haileybury and Hertford Heath at various times. 173. Great Snipe. Gallinago major (Gmelin). Mr. Harting in his Birds of Middlesex states that this bird has occurred at Bushey Heath many years ago. An albino variety also is said to have been obtained at Tring in August, 1880. The latest record is of a specimen shot at Slip End, Sandon, on September nth, 1897, by Mr. J. H. Phillips of Royston, and now in his possession. 174. Common Snipe. Gallinago ccelestis (Frenzel). This is a fairly plentiful visitor to Hertford- shire, but so far as I am aware it has never been found nesting in the county. 175. Jack Snipe. Gallinago ga llinula (Linn.). The jack snipe is a bird about which there is very little information so far as Hertfordshire is concerned, but it probably visits suitable localities during the winter, and has undoubt- edly been obtained at Tring, while in 1883 one was sent to Mr. Spary for preservation, which had been shot near St. Albans. 176. Dunlin. Tringa alpina. Linn. This species is a regular visitor to Tring at all periods of the year, and it has also occurred near Royston, and at Hitchin, Redbourn and Elstree. 177. Little Stint. Tringa minuta, Leisler. Two little stints were obtained at Tring in August, 1885. 178. Temminck's Stint. Tringa temmincki, Leisler. A bird of this species is said, on the author- ity of the Hon. W. Rothschild, to have been shot at one of the Tring reservoirs in Sep- tember, 1887. 179. Sanderling. Calidris arenana (Linn.). This bird occasionally appears at the Tring reservoirs on migration, while in December, 1893, one was shot near St. Albans. 1 80. Ruff(? Reeve). Machetes pugnax (Linn.). In the collection at Munden there are two ruffs and a reeve which were obtained in that neighbourhood probably between 1840 and 1850. Mr. C. P. Stewart also has a reeve which was shot at Chisfield near Stevenage, about 1882. Tring has been favoured by this species on three occasions at least, one 213
