18 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



" we cannot correlate satisfactorily what we know of Chimaera 

 in Norway, ... in the Bay of Biscay, . . . and in the Faroe 

 Channel." " The whole history of the fish is not," I said, " to 

 be summed up in a word." This was the most definite of all 

 my assertions, and perhaps the most important of my con- 

 clusions. And it is just because Professor Meek does sum 

 up the whole story in a single sweeping generalisation that I 

 beg leave to continue to differ from him. 



D'Arcy W. Thompson. 



British Grey Geese. I am very anxious to compile, as far as 

 possible, a census of the four species of Grey Geese at present 

 wintering with us in different parts of the British Isles. To my 

 certain knowledge changes in the distribution have taken place 

 recently and are still going on in certain "goose" localities, and it 

 seems to me to be most desirable to try and find out what, if any, 

 change is taking place at each locality frequented each winter by 

 the " Greys." Further, the seasons should be taken into account, 

 because one species might be more abundant in early winter and 

 its place taken later in the year by another. I fully realise the 

 extreme difficulty of accurately forming a correct census, seeing 

 the almost impossible task of correctly identifying the different 

 species on the wing, and from the fact of so very few Grey Geese 

 being shot each winter, and I am therefore appealing through the 

 medium of the Scottish Naturalist for any help which readers from 

 Scottish goose areas can render me. May I in conclusion again 

 emphasise my point, namely, that it is not a question of what has 

 always been looked upon as the particular Grey Goose of any area 

 but what is actually the goose at the present time. For example, 

 from personal experience the Grey Goose in the Aberlady district was 

 the Pink-foot down to 1909, but I don't know what it may be now, 

 whereas I do know that on the English Solway the Grey Lag has 

 become, from being the rarest " Grey " some fifteen years ago, the 

 commonest species. Changes have also taken place in the species 

 frequenting North Lancashire during recent years. F. W. Smallev, 

 Cove Hall, near Beccles, Suffolk. 



