In the Neighbourhood of Salisbury. 89 



instance, on April 27th, 1868 ; another on May 14th, 1880 ; and 

 three more in November of the same year. 



Beriiicla RnficoUis. " The Red-breasted Goose/' I can hear of 

 no occurrence of this lare species in our own district; but just 

 mention it as having seen a very fine specimen of it in the collection 

 of Mr. J. Marshall, of Belmont, near Taunton. I believe I am 

 right in saying that this is the only specimen he has in his museum 

 which is of the normal colouring; his whole collection being com- 

 posed of albinos and pied varieties. This Goose was shot at Maiden, 

 Essex, on January 6th, 1871. It was purchased by Mr. Harting a 

 few days after it was shot, and is mentioned in his " Handbook of 

 British Birds " ; it was also mentioned in the " Field " on January 

 21st, 1871, and in the "Zoologist" for 1871. Amongst other 

 specimens in Mr. MarshalFs collection there is a Sea Eagle, Sparrow 

 Hawk, three Ravens, two Magpies, Woodcock, Nightjar, Curlew, 

 Heron, Puffin, and many others all perfectly white ; but these albinos 

 are really but weak and imperfect specimens which lack the proper 

 amount of pigment in their feathering, and are met with oc- 

 casionally in almost all species. 



Chenalopex Mgypliacus. " The Egyptian Goose." This pecu- 

 liarly plumaged bird is also occasionally met with in our district, 

 and though some may possibly be escaped birds, a sufficient number 

 of undoubtedly wild specimens have been procured to authorise its 

 admission into our list. Meyer mentions a flock of eighty, which 

 visited Hampshire, and out of which several specimens were obtained. 

 Some years ago I remember a great commotion being caused at the 

 vicarage here from the announcement that a strange wild bird had 

 been seen feeding with the ducks near the river, and sure enough, 

 on cautiously approaching, there was a fine Egyptian Goose in the 

 middle of them. This bird was seen about for two or three days, 

 when it disappeared as suddenly as it came, and nothing more was 

 heard about it. There are several specimens recorded in Hart^s list 

 at Christchurch : — one on November 25th, 1878; two in Redcliffe 

 Meadow, close to the town, on February 10th, 1879 ; one on August 

 2nd, 1881, in the harbour; another on April 27th, also in the 

 harbour. They would seem to be found more inland than the other 



