THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 95 



identify this species. " I have seen George Gartner," 

 writes Mr. A. Smith, under date of September 28th, 

 1885, ''who is well acquainted with the call of the 

 Barnacle, and he tells me that while livino- in the 

 Bewcastle district he often heard them passing over 

 about this time, or rather later in October. They 

 were always coming from the north-east or east. 

 He also tells me that there was a large moss or 

 moor, with very little water on it, near where he 

 lived, and that his master had sheep on it, and that 

 he had to go early in the morning to look after 

 them. About this time in the year he often rose 

 both Grey Geese and Barnacles, and one year he 

 rose a party of Barnacles two mornings running. 

 The third morning his master took a gun to get a 

 shot at them, but the Geese had left." 



Barnacle ganders killed in open weather average 

 about 4^ lbs., and 6 lbs. is the limit. Females weigh 

 from 3^ to A^ lbs. in condition. 



B. Canadensis. Canada Goose.* 



The Canada Goose is a casual visitant. An ex- 

 ample was shot and a second seen at Bassenthwaite 

 a few years since, and others have occurred, no doubt 

 " escapes," since the Canada Goose was kept as an 

 ornamental fowl on English waters in the days of 

 Francis Willughby. 



Genus CYGNUS. 



C. Olor. Mute Savan.* 



The Mute Swan is probably a rare casual visitant 

 in severe weather from eastern Europe. A bird 



