210 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



obtain a shot at them. Like the Brcut Goose, the Barnacle is usually- 

 tame. Some years ago it used to occur almost annually on the north 

 coast of Pembrokeshire. Sir Hugh Owen, who was constantly on the 

 look-out for wild-fowl at Goodwick, near Fishguard, informed us that he 

 generally shot one or two of these Geese, which were in company with 

 the first flocks of Brent Geese arriving on the coast. 



There are two specimens of the Barnacle Goose from Devonshire in tlie collection 

 of British Birds at the Natural Histurv Museum, South Kensington — one from Col. 

 Montagu's collection, the other from tliat of Mr. Bartlett. Montagu says: "a large 

 flock of these birds were observed in Slapton Ley in tiie winter of 1801 " (Orn. Diet., 

 Suppl.). Mr. Comyns had two specimens shut on Dawlish Warren ( E. M., Trans. 

 Plym. Inst. ISaO; Mag. IS'at. Hist. IScJT, p- 3JU). A pair killed at .Slapton Ley were 

 preserved at the .Sands Hotel, where we saw them in January ]8-5(), and another pair 

 were shot there in ISliO (H. N., MS. Notes). An example obtained in 18()4 in the 

 neighbourhood of Plymouth is in ^Ir. J. Brooking-Rovve's collection. Mr. S. Square 

 shot one at Thurleslone in the autumn of 1882 (R. P. N., MS. Notes). Four rose 

 from the sea near Thurlestone Rock close to the sliore in Januai-y 1891 (E. A. S. E.). 



In Cornwall the Barnacle Goose would seem to be more often met with 

 than it is in Devonshire. Mr. Eodd states that " little parties now and 

 then appear in hard winters, their black and white plumage rendering 

 them very consjacuous on the wing. Specimens have been obtained in 

 the Land's End marshes, in Blount's Bay, and at Helford." In Somerset 

 the only example Mr, Cecil Smith knew of was the one sent alive by 

 Mr. Anstice, of Bridgwater, to Col. Montagu in February 1809. A few 

 appear occasionally off the Dorset coast at Weymouth and Poole ; some 

 were shot in February 1879, and sent to Mr. Hart, of Christchurch, for 

 preservation (Mansel-Pleydcll, 'Birds of Dorset,' p. 138). 



This species of Goose takes its name from an extraordinary fable which 

 was solemnly accepted by the naturalists of two hundred years ago — that 

 these Geese were hatched from the barnacles which attach themselves to 

 the bottoms of vessels ! 



* Canada Goose. BcmicJa canadensis (Linn.). 



Intrcjdueed, but has occurred several times on the Exe, in the Kings- 

 bridge district, near Plymouth, aud on the Taw, apparently iu a wild 

 Btatc. 



This handsome Goose, almost a Swan in size, is the common Wild 

 Goose of America, whose arrival in the autumn is anxiously expected by 

 sportsmen, to whom the passing Hocks afford excellent shooting and large 

 bags. It is so generally kept among the ornamental Water-fowl on 

 lakes in England, that the stragglers which are occasionally shot at large 

 must be set down as English-reared birds, and not as migrants from 

 America. One was shot on the Laira, in September 1855 (J. G., MS, Notes). 

 One killed on tlie Exe in 185U, and another from Mr. Ralph Sanders's 

 collection, are in the A. M, M, Two were killed near Plymouth in IS'iU 

 (.1. B, P., Trans, Plym, Inst. 1S62-(J;5, p. 7'i). One was shot by Mr. Ellis 

 on the Piver Avon, April 3rd, 18G7, aud is now in the possession of 



