9530 Birds. 



gray of the neck and npper and lower tail-coverts being interspersed 

 with white feathers; the under surfaces of the wings, axillary plumes, 

 &c., spotless white. Still the colour would have led rae to the sup- 

 position that the bird was a young specimen of the common mute swan 

 {Ci/f/iius olor) but for the following reasons: — 1. The total weight, 

 shortly after it was shot, was only 13f fts., whereas the weight of 

 C. olor, according to Yarrell, is about 30 tbs., and the same author 

 states that young birds of the year nearly reach that weight in 

 October, 2. The legs were slaty gray in colour, and not even 

 approaching to black, as in C. olor. 3. The black around the nostril 

 did not join the black at the base of bill; but there was a distinct 

 space between the two of perhaps about the eighth of an inch. 

 4. The measurements of the bill and its peculiarities exactly cor- 

 respond to those given by Yarrell of the Polish swan {Ci/gniis itiimu- 

 tahilis). 5. The knob at the base of the bill was very small indeed, 

 certainly not larger than a small horse-bean or large gray pea. On 

 the other hand, 1 was unable to find the two foramina spoken of by 

 M. Pelerin as situated a little above and on either side of the foramen 

 magnum in C. immulabilis, but not in C. olor. This peculiarity is 

 corroborated by Yarrell (vol. iii. p. 234), who I conceive we must 

 consider an unusually reliable authority on this subject. Still, 

 although I could not find these foramina, and although the colour is 

 more that of C. olor than of C. immutabilis, the smaller size, so very 

 remarkable, the well-marked peculiarities of bill and legs lead me to 

 indulge a hope that I may have obtained a specimen of C. immutabilis. 

 I have given these details purely for the sake of information, as I have 

 had ievf o])porlunities of making myself acquainted with the pecu- 

 liarities of this family, and I am anxious to decide finally, if possible, 

 the true species of my specimen. 



Piukfooted Goose. — The only account I have been able to glean of 

 wild geese passing over or visiting the immediate neighbourhood of 

 Beverley, since my last notes on this subject, I obtained the other day. 

 Mr. F. Boyes, of Beverley, was shooting up the River Hull on the 

 20th of February, when he saw a flock of geese flying low, but not in 

 his direction. Two shots were fired from other guns, and one bird 

 fell; Mr. Boyes saw it, and reported it to rae as a pinkfooted goose. 

 This specimen was sent the next day to Mr. Richardson, for preserva- 

 tion, by Mr. J. Stephenson, who had purchased it. I saw the bird at 

 Mr. Richardson's, and it was a very fine femalo- of this species. I have 

 since heard from a farmer patient of mine, Mr. Curtois, of Hnnsley, 

 near Beverley, that several flocks of wild geese have frequented the 



