NATATORES. 215 



of 1850. I have lately seen a specimen in winter 

 plumage which was killed in November, 1862, on 

 the Thames, at Blackwall. 



ORDER NATATORES.- Family ANATIDJE. 



GREYLAG GOOSE, Anser ferus. This species, al- 

 though supposed by many to be the original stock 

 of our domestic goose, and formerly not uncommon 

 in most winters, is now rarely met with in England. 

 The term " greylag" has no reference, as some sup- 

 pose, to the colour of its legs, which are pink, but is 

 probably a modification of the word "lake" (lacus, 

 Lat. ; lago, It.) When flying, or at a distance, this 

 bird so closely resembles the other so-called Grey 

 Geese that is, the Bean, Pinkfooted, and White- 

 fronted Geese, that it is impossible to distinguish 

 the species. On a nearer inspection, however, it 

 cannot be confounded with any of these, except, 

 perhaps, the Pinkfooted, which it resembles more 

 than any of the others, but from which it differs 

 in a few points to be mentioned presently. The 

 following table will suggest the readiest means of 

 distinguishing the four species of British Grey 

 Geese 



