24 anatidte. 



uame. The geographical distribution of the Polish swan is yet to be 

 ascertained, It is, however, known to frequent the Baltic Sea. 



The Sw'an, Guinea, or Cape Goose, Anser cygnoides, Linn. ; 

 A. Guineensis, Briss. We have, at Wolf-hill, found pairs of this 

 introduced species to breed freely in a domestic state ; whicli the 

 gander will likewise do with the tame goose. They have generally 

 inclined to breed early. A note before me mentions a pair of purely 

 bred birds having a nest with five eggs beneath a laurel in the lawn, 

 on the 18th March : the female, when seated on the nest, had the 

 gander's company at her side. This species is truly said, by Bewick, 

 to be more noisy than the common goose, so that " nothing can stir 

 in the night or day without their sounding the alarm by their hoarse 

 cacklings and shrill cries" ('Brit. Birds,' vol. ii. p. 257, edit. 1821). 

 It is a fine spifited bird, though not, like the Canada goose, to an 

 annoying extent. The motions of its long neck are very comical, 

 particularly when playing the bi-avado, and running after a person 

 with neck outstretched to its whole length, and carried so low as 

 almost to touch the ground. The superior length of neck compared 

 with tliat of the common goose, renders this attitude the more 

 grotesque. On such occasions, both the gander and his flock are 

 evidently proud of his prowess in driving away persons who are quietly 

 walking of!" from his vicinity, and are quite regardless of his menaces. 



THE CANADA GOOSE. 



Cravat Goose. 



Anser Canadensis. Gmel. (sp.) 

 Anas „ „ 



Has, in a very few instances, been shot on different 

 parts of the coast ; 



And I am disposed to beheve that in some of them the victims 

 may have been truly wild. It seems to me as likely to visit this 

 country occasionally as some other American birds which do so, 

 and wliicli, from not being kept by man in a living state, are known 

 to be fcra nainr<r, Tlic fact of the Canada goose being semi- 

 domesticated, and sometimes disposed to wander, is the only 



