SPUR- WINGED GOOSE. 353 



regarded in any other light than escaped birds from private ponds 

 where large numbers of ornamental water-fowl are kept. Being a 

 southern species, it is hardly probable that its range extends to 

 Great Britain; yet it is somewhat curious that in some particular 

 years it should be more restless than in others. Thus in 1832 

 unusual numbers appear to have been roaming over the southern 

 districts of Scotland ranging from the Tweed to the Forth, thence 

 across to Loch Lomond. A small flock was seen on the Tweed in 

 February of that year, and in the month of November following a 

 flock of nineteen was observed in East Lothian flying southwards 

 during a storm. The leader was shot, and examined by the late 

 Dr Macgillivray. About the same time, three were shot near 

 Campsie, in Stirlingshire, and one or two birds alighted on Loch 

 Lomond, where the species has been procured on two or three 

 subsequent occasions. Three were shot out of a flock of five on this 

 loch in the winter of 1861, one of which was exhibited by Dr 

 Dewar at a meeting of the Natural History Society of Glasgow ; 

 and in January, 1867, other two were shot from a small flock 

 which had been observed to alight there some time previously. 

 Another was killed on the Forth at the same time, and is now in 

 the collection of Dr Dewar. 



Five of these birds were observed in Montrose Basin in the 

 winter of 1865, and a similar flock appeared there in 1867. 

 In addition to the East Lothian flight already mentioned, I may 

 refer to another flight of about a dozen, out of which a beautiful 

 male bird fell to the gun of a friend, who sent me the specimen 

 when fresh. This occurred at Tyne Sands in 1846, and the Earl 

 of Haddington has obligingly informed me that he shot a fine male 

 near the same place in the winter of 1862. 



THE SPUR-WINGED GOOSE. 



ANSER GAMBENSIS. 



THE only Scottish specimen of this rare bird which I have seen 

 recorded, is one which was shot near Banff in February, 1855, and 

 preserved by Mr Thomas Edward. 



A nearly allied species Plectropterus Rueppelli which has been 

 described by Mr Sclater in the proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society for 1859, has been held as identical by Professor Schlegel 



