WILD GOOSE. NATATORES. ANSER. 261 



GREY LAG WILD GOOSE. 



ANSER PALUSTRIS, Flem. 

 PLATE XLL 



Anser palustris, Flem. Br. Anim. 1. 126. sp. 195. 



Anas Anser (ferus) Gmel. Syst. 1. 510. sp. 9 Lath. Ind. Ornith. 2. 841. 



sp. 26. 



L'Oie ceridree ou Premiere, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 2. 818. 

 L'Oie ordinaire, Cuv. Reg. Anim. 1. 530. 

 Wilde Gemeine Gans, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. 842. 

 Grey Lag Goose, Penn. Br. ZooL 2. 570. No. 266. Arct. Zool. 2. 473 



Lath. Syn. 6. 459. 31 Levin's Br. Birds, 6. pi. 238 Mont. Orn. Diet. 



1. and Sup Bewick's Br. Birds, ed. 1826. p. t. 282. 



Wild Goose, Shaw's Zool. 12. 28. pi. 41. 

 Common Wild Goose, Will. (Angl.) 358. 



FROM the concurrent testimony of our older writers, it ap- 

 pears that this species was formerly very abundant in Bri- Periodical 

 tain ; and was also a permanent resident here, breeding an- ^ 

 nually in great numbers in the fens of Lincolnshire, and 

 some of the adjoining counties. The draining and cultiva- 

 tion of these marshy tracts, under progressive agricultural 

 improvement, and the increasing population of the kingdom, 

 has, however, banished these birds from their ancient haunts ; 

 and they are now, comparatively speaking, of rare occur- 

 rence, and, as far as I can ascertain, only met with in small 

 flocks during the winter. They seem to have given place, 

 as it were, to the next species (Anser segetum, Bean Goose), 

 which, as a winter visitant, is very numerous, and widely 

 spread throughout the country. According to TEMMINCK, 

 the present species seldom advances much beyond the fifty- 

 third degree of north latitude ; its geographical distribution 

 extending over the central and eastern parts of Europe, 

 Northern Asia, and some parts of Western Africa, where it 

 inhabits the marshes, and the borders of lakes and inland 

 seas. It breeds amongst the rushes and other coarse her- Nest, &c 

 bage, making a large nest of vegetable matter, and laying 



