96 B1UTISH BIKDS, THEIR EGGS AND XEST3. 



the very hard and long-continued winter of 1837-38, 1 saw the ice 

 which, in broken fragments of four or five feet square by three 

 or four inches thick, covered the whole estuary of the Blackwater 

 at Tollesbury (a space of very considerable width), black with 

 them during highwater. The expression made use of by one of 

 the sea-faring men of the neighbourhood was, " There are acres of 

 'em." Still of all there vast numbers none remain to breed, and 

 no great proportion of them are known to breed in Europe. 



233. RED-BREASTED GOOSE (Anser rwficollis). 

 A very rare species, and one of which but little is known as to 

 nistory or habits. 



234. EGYPTIAN GOOSE (Anser Vgyptiacus}. 

 Equally rare and more exceptional than the last ; as the few 

 that nave occurred may have escaped from confinement. 



235. SPUR-WINGED GOOSE (Anser Gambensis). 



Gambo-goose. An accidental visitor indeed. 



236. CANADA GOOSE (Anser Canadensis). 



Cravat-goose. Many of these remarkably fine birds are kept on 

 ornamental waters in many different parts of the kingdom ; and 

 these have been known sometimes (aided by a storm, perhaps, 

 or some unusual occurrence) to make their escape. Many of the 

 supposed wild birds shot, or otherwise taken, have been accounted 

 for on the supposition that they are such escaped birds. How- 

 ever, it would seem most probable that considerable flights of 

 really wild Cravat ^eese do occasionally visit this country, and 

 even that some pair or two of them may occasionally stay to 

 breed. The eggs are six to nine in number, of very large size, 

 and white. 



237. HOOPER (Cy gnus firm). 



Wild swan, Whistling swan, Elk. Of sufficiently common oc- 

 currence on the British coasts, and particularly in hard winters. 

 Few birds vary much more in size and weight than do these. A 

 young bird of the year may weigh only twelve or thirteen pounds ; 

 the older and more full-grown specimens, twenty or twenty-one. 

 They breed very far to the north. 



238. BEWICK'S SWAN (tygnus Bewickii). 

 A smaller bird than the Hooper and of very much rarer occur- 

 rence. Still it is an ascertained species, and visits us frequently, 

 if not annually, in some numbers. 



239. MUTE SWAN (%** dor.) 

 The Common tame Swan of our ornamental waters. Thej 



