SOME THREATENED BRITISH SPECIES 207 



many other species. It would be ;i pity if the 

 semi-domesticated Grey Lag Geese that make their 

 home at Castle Coole in Ireland are to become the 

 sole surviving relics in Britain of a species which 

 possesses so great an interest to naturalists. 



We conclude our list with the Goosander (Mergus 

 merganser). This remarkable and handsome bird 

 breeds very locally in the Highlands of Scotland, 

 in Sutherlandshire, Argyleshire, and Perthshire. 

 There is even some evidence to suggest that the 

 Goosander is slowly increasing as a British species ; 

 but this may, on the other hand, be due to the 

 closer search for its nest. Whatever the facts may 

 be, Scottish naturalists especially should endeavour 

 to preserve this bird from extermination. We 

 have few handsomer native species. 



Words of protest might here be written against 

 the cruel and wanton slaughter of many another 

 British bird, at present too common to come within 

 the list of absolutely threatened species. Of these 

 we may mention the Magpie, the Jay, the Hawfinch, 

 the Bullfinch, the Goldfinch, the Sky Lark and 

 Wood Lark, the Nuthatch, the Nightingale, the 

 Woodpeckers, the Kingfisher, the Owls, the Kestrel, 

 the Sparrow-hawk, the Lapwing, and many sea 

 birds. Many, if not all of these birds, leaving 



