88 EGYPTIAN GOOSE. 



been the case with those which were shot on the 

 Tweed in 1839, and on the Fern Islands in 1830 ; 

 some of which we saw and examined, and had little 

 doubt at the time that they had previously formed 

 part of the interesting collection kept at Gosford 

 House on the banks of the Firth of Forth. We 

 agree, nevertheless, with Mr. Yarrell in thinking, 

 that all the birds killed in our islands may not have 

 been derived from these sources, and specimens of 

 this goose are just as likely to stray from Africa, as 

 several other birds which claim that country more 

 peculiarly as their own, particularly when they are 

 found in flocks amounting to eighty in number, as in 

 that seen in Hampshire. They have also been met 

 with in several other English counties ; in Scotland, 

 besides those on the Tweed, once near Glasgow ; 

 and also in Ireland. Temminck gives the south of 

 Europe as their range out of Britain, where they 

 occur also in straggling parties. Northern Africa 

 is, however, tneir natural station, and so far as we can 

 gain information, they spread over the northern half 

 of that continent. "We have received a specimen in 

 a collection understood to be made in Southern 

 Africa, but could not ascertain its exact locality, or 

 whether it had not been elsewhere procured. The 

 nidification in a wild state is not described, neither 

 have we any detailed notice of their habits. 



The specimen from Southern Africa alluded to 

 has the base of the bill and a space surrounding the 

 eyes chestnut brown (reddish). The cheeks, crown, 

 chin, and throat, yellowish white ; the neck is yel- 



