THE BUDDY SHEIJ.DEAKE. 65 



that on the 10th or 11th (the following day or the second 

 after the pair was killed), he saw a flock of about eighteen fly- 

 over his ship-yard at Belfast, very low, and proceed in the direc- 

 tion of Lough Neagh. Subsequently, but in what year I do not 

 recollect, I saw a couple on sale in a poulterer^s shop in that 

 town. 



I cannot think that the birds here noticed were truly wild, 

 though this species may, possibly, as well as others from the south- 

 east of Europe and north of Africa, occasionally visit this island. 



A place is given to the Egyptian goose among British birds by 

 Yarrell and Jardine, and among those of Belgium by De Selys 

 Longchamps. 



About thirty-five years ago, Egyptian geese were kept in num- 

 bers on lakes in Hillsborough Park, county Down, and the only 

 time at which any could be captured was the moulting season. 

 A friend, who had lost one of his, wished its place supplied, and 

 with permission from Lord Downshire to take a bird from his 

 stock, went thither, where, after considerable difliculty, he suc- 

 ceeded in rowing one down. 



The Spub-winged or Gambo Goose {Anse)- Gambensis, Briss.) has 

 a place in the British catalogue, from tlie circumstance of a single in- 

 dividual having been obtained in Cornwall, in June 1821. The species 

 is a native of northern and western Africa. 



THE RUDDY SHELLDRAKE. 



Eerruginous Duck, Bewick, edit. 1826, 



Tadorna rutila, Pallas (sp.) 

 ^ Anas casarka, Linn. 



Has once been obtained ; 



As noticed by me in the 'Annals of Natural History^ (vol, xx. 

 p. 171). The bird was shot on the Murrough of Wicklow by 

 Mr. John Moreton, of that town, on the 7th of July, 1847. The 

 Murrough is an extensive, low, sandy tract bordering the sea, 

 VOL. III. r 



