ANATID.E. 205 



p. 831) ; two ou December 28th, 1885, and one on Jtinuary 2ncl, 1836. Tliese last 

 three birds were seen coming from a north-west direction, and going south or soath- 

 east. They were at a great height, but suddenly came down rapidly to the river, not 

 a quarter of a mile above Barnstaple. Several occurred in January 1891. (J. Gr. II., 

 Zool. 1886, p. 76 ; 1891, p. 68.) 



We handled two in the flesh which were shot on the Tone, a mile or two below 

 Taunton, in July; one we skinned and mounted and have now in our collection was 

 shot on the Taw near Barnstaple at the end of AjDril ; and we know of several others 

 having been obtained in North Devon ; there is one in the museum of the College at 

 AYestward Ho ! which was shot near New Bridge, on the Taw, in the winter-time. 

 Several have been obtained at diiferent times at Weston-super-Mare ; Mr. E.odd 

 mentions examples having been shot in the wiuter-t;ime in Cornwall ; and Mr. Mansel- 

 Pleydell knew of several which had been obtained in Dorsetshire during the winter 

 months. 



The home of this Groose is to be found, as its name implies, in the Nile valley and 

 in tropical Africa. There are no authentic instances of its having occurred, even as 

 a straggler, in any of the countries of Southern Europe, and Mr. Dresser does not 

 include it in his beautiful work on the ' Birds of Europe.' 



Grey Lag Goose. Anser dnereus, Meyer. 



A casual visitor, of very rare occurrence. 



Tliis fine Goose, the progenitor of our ordinary farmyard Geese, is the 

 only species of Wild Goose nesting at the present day anywhere in the 

 British Lslands, a few pairs still breeding annually by some of the lochs 

 in Sutherlandshire. There was a time when it nested commonly in the 

 fens of the Eastern Counties, and it is said to have taken its name from 

 this circumstance, it being the only Goose out of all the various species 

 seen in the winter-time which " lagged," or stayed behind, to breed, and 

 did not join the flocks of other Geese going northwards for their summer 

 haunts. However, at the present day, we learn from Mr. Stevenson's 

 valuable book, that the Grey Lag Goose is almost as rare in jS'orfolk as it 

 is in the West Country, where it is one of the most seldom seen of our 

 British Geese ; and we are aware of very few instances of its occurrence. 

 One which we had in our collection was shot man}' years ago near 

 Barnstaple : we ourselves once came across an example of this Goose 

 when Snipe-shooting; we had just emptied both barrels at a Jack-Snipe, 

 when out of some rushes right at our feet sprang a magnificent Grey Lug 

 Goose, and we could oidy look at it ! This was on a salt marsh, long 

 since enclosed and drained, bordering on the Taw. 



Several were brought to Plynioulh Market in January 1829 and January 18,30, as 

 recorded by Dr. Edward Moore, who says it was sometimes seen on Dartmoor with 

 other wild-fowl. Mr. Newton liad a specimen (Trans. J'lym. lii.'*t. IS.'iO, and Howe's 

 Peraiiib. Dartmoor, ]S4S). Bolitlio notes a Grey Lag Goo.-<c which was brought to 

 liim by Mr. Gatcoiidio, January 18lh, ].S.").S, having been bouglil in J'lymouth Market 

 (M.S. Notes). ^Ir. Gatcoiube also records liaving obtained a female in the inai-kct at 

 Devonport on iJ.')tii Xoveniber, 18.38, which was killed on tiie River Tainar (Zool. 

 1H.')'.>, p. ().'j76). Tliis specimen is now in the A. M. M. Mr. S. Square shot one at 

 Tlnirle.stoiio, after it liad been observed for several days feeding on tlie Ley lliere, in 

 company with four tame Geese, Se])t ember 2<')th, l^Xi) (E. A. S. E.). 



y\r. (Jccil Sniilli knew of no instances of llie occurrence of (lie Grey 



