THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 97 



M. A. Mathew records that in 1861, he shot one 

 and saw six others as late as April 22nd, on the 

 Taw estuary. In 1883, Gatcombe examined a 

 couple of Brent Geese, sent to a Plymouth bird- 

 stuffer as late as May 12th (Zool. 1883. p. 419). 

 We do not, however, get the large flocks of Brent 

 Geese commonly met with in winter and early 

 spring on the east coast. A Brent Goose, shot on 

 the Topsham mud flats in 1850, may be seen in the 

 Exeter Museum. 



BARNACLE GOOSE.— Bermda leucopsis (Bechst). 



An uncommon winter visitant. Montagu says: " A 

 large flock of these birds were observed on Slapton 

 Ley in the winter of 1801," and his own collection 

 contained two local birds. Another couple were 

 killed at Slapton Ley in 1860. Mr. Rowe includes 

 this species in his catalogue as *'rare," and has 

 added a MS. note that he obtained a specimen for 

 his series in 1864 (Catalogue of Birds of Devon, p. 

 39j. Dr. Moore also met with it- 



RED-BREASTED GOOSK—BernicJa rKficoUis (Pall). 



A VERY rare visitant. Dr. Moore states that : " One 

 was shot on Kenton Warren, in 1828, and is now in 

 the possession of Mr. W. Russell, Dawlish ; another 

 was killed on Teign Marshes, February 21st, 1837, 

 by Kendall, of Buckland, and is now in preparation 

 by Mr. Drew" (Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837). The 

 E/cd-breasted Goose was at that time so rare in 



