examination of a fresh specimen. My principal ac- 

 quaintance with this Goose was formed upon the great 

 marshes of the lower Guadalquivir, where we met with 

 it in enormous numbers in February and March 1882. 

 In that district it is by far the most numerous, I might 

 almost say the only representative, of its family. I 

 have also met with it on the western shores of European 

 Turkey, but there it is not the prevalent species. 



To those of my readers who are not acquainted with 

 this bird I may state that it is with good reason sup- 

 posed to be the original progenitor of our domestic race 

 of Geese, and very closely resembles its descendants in 

 plumage, pugnacity, and, as I have said, in voice. It 

 may be distinguished from all our other Wild Geese by 

 its superior size, and, with that premise, the white 

 " nail " of the beak and pale flesh-coloured legs. This 

 species still breeds in certain counties of Scotland and 

 some of the Hebrides, but is decreasing in numbers, and 

 many of these Geese have become semi-domesticated in 

 these districts. 



Mr. A. Thorburn has very kindly, at my request, 

 furnished me with a few particulars relating to the 

 present bird, supplied to him by Mr. John A. Dixon, 

 of Inveran, Ross-shire, for my benefit. The latter 

 gentleman writes : — " I am sorry to say that the Grey 

 Lag Goose is yearly becoming rarer in these parts ; I 

 used to know of three or four lochs besides Loch Maree 

 where there was always a nest or two. Now I doubt 

 whether more than one or two pairs in all breed 

 annually in this neighbourhood. It is of course the 

 only really Wild Goose that nests in Britain. With 



