WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 411 



years ago, he saw, in a field near Flamborough, a large 

 flock of Grey Lags, and secured two of them, one of which 

 contained a perfectly formed egg. At Scampston one came 

 to Mr. St. Quintin's semi-wild birds at Christmas 1885, and 

 remained on the lake for several days. In the North Riding 

 Mr. T. Whitwell, gamekeeper, and his father/ each killed a 

 specimen on Lord Faversham's Bransdale estate ; a local 

 example is in the Whitby Museum ; and I identified a solitary 

 individual at Redcar on 25th February 1891, when a fisher- 

 man caught a wounded bird and brought it ashore in his boat. 



The Grey Lag will breed in captivity if suitable surroundings 

 are provided, as is proved in the case of Mr. W. H. St. Quintin's 

 birds at Scampston, where they have repeatedly bred, and 

 have also mated with the White-fronted species (St. Quintin 

 MS. ; and Field, igth July 1902). 



An old superstition connected with Wildgeese may 

 appropriately be referred to here, for the term " Gabriel 

 Hounds " was formerly applied to the flocks of yelping Wild- 

 geese migrating southward in twilight evenings of autumn, 

 their cry being more audible than the assemblage is visible. 

 As they were supposed to be foreboders of evil, betokening 

 death in the house near which the sound was heard, or to some 

 friend or connection, the hearers closed their ears and covered 

 their eyes until the phalanx passed over. 



WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 



Anser albifrons (Scopoli). 



Winter visitant, of uncommon occurrence. 



Thomas Allis has, so far as I can ascertain, the claim to 

 have first mentioned the White-fronted Goose in this county, 

 in his Report of 1844, thus : 



Anser albifrons. White-fronted Goose Is obtained near Sheffield ; 

 also at Doncaster in severe weather ; occasionally about Sutton-on- 

 Derwent ; near York in considerable numbers ; though by no means 

 a regular visitant ; Dr. Farrar has only met with a single specimen 



