THE BIRDS OF RAINHAM. 69 



a pair came, built a nest and laid an egg, which was 

 immediately destroyed by a carrion crow, in a bunch 

 of rushes near the outside of a broad piece of water, 

 they took their departure and were no more seen. 

 They sometimes occur on passage near woods and 

 other out-of-the-way places. 



WILD GREY GEESE AND WILD SWANS. 



Owing to the excessive traffic on the Medway from 

 the constant sailing to and fro of vessels to the 

 number of two hundred every day, the wild Grey 

 Geese and Wild Swans have no resting place there. 

 My acquaintance is limited to seeing them fly over 

 at a considerable height in very severe weather, first 

 to the south, afterwards back again to the north ; 

 merely their outline is visible. 



BRENT GOOSE. 

 Bernicla brenta (Pall.). 



The Brent Geese come into our creeks in severe 

 winters in very small numbers ; no sooner do they 

 appear than they speedily have notice to quit and are 

 off, one or two are sometimes shot. 



* I have had no means of identifying the species ; they are 

 either Geese or Swans. 



