BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 147 



on Croxby Lake on the North Wolds, also on Horn- 

 sea Mere in Holderness, as -well as on many private 

 ponds and lakes. I have never, however, met with 

 even a single specimen at any season on any of our 

 numerous "becks," drains, or " blow-wells;" or in 

 severe weather found them in the Humber or along 

 the coast ; and, from all I can gather, it is equally 

 unknown to any of our numerous local gunners. 

 Pied varieties have occurred in this county. 



NATATOBES. ANATIDJE. 



197. ANSER FERUS (Gmelin). Grey Lag 



Goose*. 

 Provincial. Grey Goose, Grey -legged Goose. 



The Grey Lag Goose was at one period a permanent 

 resident in our country, breeding in considerable num- 

 bers in the fens of Lincolnshire and carrs of Yorkshire, 

 and is probably the originator of the present domestic 

 breed f. Now it only occurs in the autumn as a rather 

 rare wanderer. I have occasionally met with a small 



* In the 'Ibis' for J870, p. 301, Professor Newton, on the 

 authority of Mr. Skeat, has given what is probably the true deri- 

 vation of the word "lag," the early English adjective "lag" 

 meaning originally late, last, or slow ; consequently the Grey 

 Lag Goose-was the one which, formerly, lagged behind the others 

 to breed in the fens. 



f Mr. Pennant, speaking of the immense flocks of Geese for- 

 merly kept in the wild fens of Lincolnshire, remarks : "During 

 the season these birds are lodged in the same houses with the in- 

 habitants, and even in their very bedchambers ; in every apart- 



H2 



