2o6 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



bitter experience, wc know that many another 

 species once common enough is now excessively 

 rare or even lost to our avifauna for ever. 



The Grey Lag Goose {Avser cinereus) must also 

 be included in this w^arning list of threatened 

 species. Down to the close of the last century, this 

 Goose — the only species of Anser indigenous to the 

 British Islands — bred in more or less abundance in 

 the English Fenlands. Here the wholesale capture 

 of the young birds, together with the drainage 

 and enclosure of its favourite haunts, have been 

 the causes of its extermination. The wonder is 

 that it actually survived in the English lowlands 

 so long. Nowadays it breeds locally and in com- 

 paratively small numbers on the Hebrides, and on 

 the Scotch mainland in Ross-shire, Sutherlandshire, 

 and Caithness. Sixteen j^'ears ago we had ample 

 evidence of the absolute abundance of this Goose in 

 certain parts of the Outer Hebrides ; but now there 

 is a very perceptible falling off, and everywhere 

 the birds appear to be on the decrease. Per- 

 secution by man, the robbing of eggs and j^^oung, is 

 decimating the indigenous stock, and we seem to be 

 well within sight of their complete extermination. 

 We trust this may be averted, for we should indeed 

 be sorry to see these wild Geese go the way of so 



