A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE for certainly the last thirteen years, is on Sandy Warren, which is accounted for with- out doubt by the great interest taken in these birds by Viscount Peel. 113. Night-Heron. Nycticorax griseus (Linn.) In Montague's Ornithological Dictionary, edited by Edward Newman, the following is recorded : ' We are informed by Lord Upper Ossary that this species was shot on the bor- ders of the river Ouse in the year 1791, a few miles from Ampthill, and that it is now in his lordship's museum. It is remarkable, too, that the bird was killed in the summer.' There is however no such specimen now in existence at Ampthill House, neither can I gain any additional information relating to the above occurrence. Mr. J. King once saw a bird alight in his meadows at Langford which seemed to him most probably of this species. He got within less than a hundred yards, and distinctly recognized its dark back as it rose. 114. Little Bittern. A 'rdetta minuta (Linn.) A female or immature specimen, which was obtained in September 1894 by some youths whilst boating down the river, was shown to me by Mr. G. Pestell ; it had been shot as it sat upon the head of a pollard willow near Castle Mills. Upwards of thirty years ago a case containing two of these birds was sent to Mr. A. Covington for repairs. The owner informed him the birds had been killed in the county many years previously. These were evidently the specimens in the late Mr. T. Cane's possession, of which similar particulars to the above were given. 115. Bittern. Botaurus stellaris (Linn.) A visitant in most severe winters. The earliest record I can trace was one shot at Blunham about 1850, and in January 1856 one is mentioned in the Zoologist as ob- tained at Lawrence End near Luton. Mr. C. F. Woods mentions one killed at Tingrith Manor 1858-9, which he saw in the flesh. Since then there have been numerous records of this bird. The spell of sharp weather that was experienced in the winter 1 899-1 900 brought a remarkable number of bitterns into the British Islands, in several counties numer- ous records being given, and in Bedfordshire such a ' bittern year ' is hardly likely to occur again. 116. American Bittern. Botaurus lentiginosis* (Montagu) An example of this rare straggler was shot by Mr. Cocking from the brook by the old racecourse at Elstow 13 November 1886, and is still in his possession. Mr. Covington, in whose hands I saw the bird whilst being set up, informs me that it was a female, and in very good condition ; the stomach contained at the time the remains of three small dace and a water shrew. 117. Grey Lag-Goose. Anser cinereus, Meyer. Probably a regular passing migrant in the spring and autumn, but very seldom alighting ; it may be occasionally observed in winter. From 'The Bogs' near Luton, which are now drained and under cultivation, Mr. T. Cane once saw three grey lag-geese that had been killed at one shot. The first and last of this species that ever came under Mr. Covington's observation as having occurred locally were two that were brought into his shop about 1868, by a farmer who had killed them from a small flock at Ravensden. During the same winter another goose, evidently of the same species from the description given him at the time, was shot from a small 'gaggle' (pro- bably the same birds) at Biddenham. 118. White-Fronted Goose. Anser albifrons (Scopoli) Probably this species need not be considered as rare with us, for although only two in- stances of its occurrence in the county can be given, the quantities of geese observed during any severe winter might frequently include this particular bird. Mr. A. Coving- ton mentions that a male was killed out of a flock of fourteen at Cople about 1863, and passed through his hands. Another, in the writer's possession was shot from a party of four on the Cardington meadows on 19 De- cember 1 90 1. 119. Bean-Goose. Anser segetum (J. F. Gmelin) There seems little doubt that the somewhat frequent information received of 'grey' geese haunting the neighbourhood of our waterways during the more severe winters would gener- ally refer to this particular species, which usually occurs in small ' gaggles ' of five or six up to fifteen or twenty in number ; at times far larger flocks appear. Mr. P. Addington shot two bean-geese from a flight of seven along the Ouse at Wyboston Corner in January about 1870, one of which I have examined ; one in the possession of Mr. J. King was killed from a small flight at Southill on 10 December i87i,and two were shot from a flock of seven that were on the Biddenham and Kempston meadows 28 December 1883.
