276 ANATIDiE. 



The Snow Goose was first recorded as a visitor to the 

 British Islands by the Editor, whose attention was called to 

 two immature examples hanging up in Leadenhall Market 

 on the 9th of November, 1871. Subsequent investigation, 

 in which the Editor was assisted by Sir Victor Brooke, 

 showed conclusively that these two birds had been shot a 

 few days before, on the lake of Tacumshane, on the south 

 coast of CO. Wexford, and a third was soon after shot in 

 Wexford harbour but not preserved (P. Z. S. 1872, p. 519). 

 One of these passed into the collection of the late Mr. G. 

 Dawson Rowley; the other is in that of Mr. Dresser. 



In ' The Zoologist ' for 1878 (p. 419), Mr. J. E. Harting 

 quoted the following letter from Mr. J. R. Crampton, of 

 Belmullet, co. Mayo : — " A flock of seven Snow Geese were 

 seen on marshy ground in Termoncarra, in the Barony of Erris, 

 about the end of October last [1877J. One of them was shot, 

 and a second, a gander, trapped. After a time the latter 

 was placed with some tame Geese, and soon fraternized with 

 them. He has now (Aug. 26th) got quite tame, and may 

 be seen leading a party of three dozen of his domesticated 

 relatives, who follow him wherever he goes." Subsequently 

 Mr. Harting was informed (Zool. 1881, p. 308) that this 

 bird, after slaying a rival in fair fight, had paired with one 

 of the Common Geese, and assisted to i;ear a family of 

 goslings. This bird having since died, its stuffed remains 

 were examined by the Editor during a recent visit to 

 Dublin, and the illustration at the head of the present article 

 is taken from a sketch made by Mr. Whymper. Being a 

 gander, and adult at the time of its death, its measurements 

 somewhat exceed those of the two immature birds obtained 

 near Wexford. 



There appears to be some evidence that the above may 

 not, after all, be the earliest known occurrences of the Snow 

 Goose in Ireland. Two birds of this species were in the 

 aviary of the thirteenth Earl of Derby at Knowsley, and at 

 his death were sold by public auction, in August 1851, to 

 Mr. Castang of Leadenhall Market. The latter informed 

 Mr. Bid well (Zool. 1878, p. 453) that he gave £5 for the 



