SNOW-GOOSE 65 
differs markedly in plumage from the members of the 
Genera, Anser and Bernicla. Thus, from other Wild 
Geese it is readily distinguishable, but at a distance it might 
be mistaken fora tame white Domestic Goose. Asa British 
bird the Snow-Goose is very rare; it bas occurred chiefly 
along the coast during the autumn migration. In his 
‘Letters to Young Shooters’ Sir R. Payne-Gallwey mentions 
that he saw, during the severe winter of 1890-1891, five 
Snow-Geese fly past him along the coast near Berwick-on- 
Tweed. The same writer also observed three others at 
Berkely in Yorkshire during successive winters, in company 
with a large ‘ gagele’ of ‘White-fronted Geese, but none 
of them were apie 
During the same winter, Snow-Geese were recorded 
from Cumberland and Northumberland. 
In Ireland, the occurrence of the Snow-Goose was first 
made known by Mr. H. Saunders, who records three shot 
on the Wexford coast, two of which were procured (Proc. 
Zool. Soc., 1872, p. 59). This species has visited Ireland on 
a few other occasions. There are two interesting records 
from Belmullet, co. Mayo, concerning which Mr. Ussher 
writes: “In the Zoologist, 1878, p. 419, the HKditor, Mr. 
Harting, records the appearance of seven Snow-Geese, 
which were seen on marshy ground in 'ermoncarra, near 
Belmullet, co. Mayo, about the end of October S17; one 
was wounded and used as a decoy, by which a second was 
trapped. The latter proved to be a gander and was easily 
tamed; he then assumed the leadership of a flock of 
domestic geese, taking them long distances in the mornings 
and returning every evening to the yard where they were 
kept ; he mated with one of them and goslings were reared ; 
but after he had thus lived until April 1884, he was killed 
with a stone, when the owner, Mr. J. R. Crampton, pre- 
sented the specimen to the Dublin Museum, where it is 
preserved. The bird that was wounded in 1877 died after 
six weeks, and was not preserved. 
“In the end of September 1886 Mr. H. Blake Knox 
received another specimen from a son of one of his tenants 
living near Belmullet, who shot it as it flew past his house. 
Mr. Blake Knox has preserved this bird, and has kindly 
lent it to me; it is of larger size than Mr. Crampton’s 
specimen in our Museum. “Tt was exhibited by Dr IR: 3: 
Sharpe at the meeting of the British Oraitiola ciate Club, 
on 22nd November 1899, and proves to be of the larger 
race, Chen nivalis (Forster). (‘ Birds of Ireland,’ p. 180.) 
3) 
