BIRD-LIFE BY RIVER AND STREAM. 89 



the Storm Petrel and the Fork-tailed Petrel are 

 occasionally met with along such estuaries as the 

 Exe, the Teign, and about Kingsbridge; whilst 

 it is interesting to remark that an example of 

 Wilson's Petrel was obtained in the vicinity of 

 Exmouth. The Shearwaters equally keep to the 

 open sea, but examples of the Manx species 

 especially sometimes wander under the influence 

 of gales up the mouths of the wide rivers. Geese 

 are not so plentiful now in and about the Devon- 

 shire estuaries as they formerly were a fact which 

 is probably due to the increase of gunners, steam- 

 ships, and railways. During winter, however, and 

 more especially in wild rough weather, we have 

 often a respectable number of these birds hanging 

 about such spots as the estuaries of the Exe, the 

 Teign, and the Avon between Salcombe and 

 Kingsbridge. Of the Grey Geese, the White- 

 fronted Goose is the most frequently observed, but 

 even this species is rare, and during an eight 

 years' residence on the coast we have met with 

 but a single flock; odd birds only are chiefly 

 seen. The last of these was a single bird at 

 the head of the estuary of the Teign last 

 winter. Brent Geese are, however, much more 



