GAMBO SPUR-WINGED GOOSE. 645 



Mr. Bewick, has supplied the following particulars respecting 

 its capture to Mr. Fox, in whose Synopsis of the contents of 

 the Newcastle Museum they are recorded : — " When first 

 seen it was in a field adjoining the cliffs at Port Wrinkle, a 

 small fishing-place about four miles from St. Germains, near 

 which it remained for two or three days. Being several 

 times disturbed by attempts to shoot it, it came more inland, 

 to a low situated farm called Pool, and there associated with 

 the common Geese ; but was wild, and immediately took 

 wing upon being approached. Here it kept to and fro for a 

 day or two, but being much disturbed, left, and came down 

 upon the shore of the St. Germains river or estuary, when 

 the following day, the 20th of June, 1821, it was shot by 

 John Brickford in a wheat-field at Sconnor, about a mile 

 from St. Germains. When killed it was in the most perfect 

 state, having only one shot in the head. Some gentlemen 

 who saw it the following day requested him to let me have 

 it, which he promised : but though he knew I was a bird- 

 stuffer he had a wife, who, from some strange infatuation, 

 thought she could stuff it ; but being soon convinced of her 

 inability she cut off the wings for dusters, and threw the 

 skin away ; and it was not till three weeks afterwards that I 

 heard of the circumstance, when I sent a servant, who 

 brought it covered with mud, the head torn off, but luckily 

 preserved, as also one wing, when I had it washed, and put 

 it together as well as I was able." The skin, on being sent 

 to Mr. Bewick, was reset by Mr. R. Wingate, and is now in 

 the Newcastle Museum. 



