ANATIDJE. 211 



Eev. W. Pittman, of Aveton Gifford (H. IS"., MS. Is'otes). Two were 

 seeu iu Plymouth Sound, October ;29th, 1877 ; and two were killed, and 

 a flock often seeu, near Plymouth in January 1879 (J. G., Zool. 1878, 

 p. 53 ; 1879, p. 206). A son of Mr. H. Square, on returning from 

 school to Court Barton, caught one of these birds on the road in jNovembcr 

 1879, which had been injured in some way. It was kept alive in a hen- 

 coop for two days at Thurlestone, and was then killed in order that it 

 might be preserved by Mr. Henry Xioholls (E. A. S. E., MS. Notes). 



A specimen of this Goose was shot ou the Taw, near Barnstaple, many 

 years ago; and during the severe winter of 1890-91, Mr. Miller, of 

 Barnstaple, shot another at Eremington, on the Taw. 



Some years ago we knew of a fine flock of these Geese, twenty or more, 

 which were kept at East Clevedon, in Somerset, where we sometimes saw 

 them flying, with all the appearance of wild birds, over the adjoining 

 level. 



In Cornwall specimens of the Canada Goose have been obtained in the 

 winter-time near Falmouth ; bat none are recorded from Dorsetshire or 

 Somerset, although the last county possessed the flock mentioned above, 

 which, it might be supposed, would have furnished stray birds to the 

 !Xorth Somerset mud-flats. Dr. Coues reports that the Canada Goose 

 nests in various parts of the Upper Missouri and Yellowstone regions in 

 ireea, the old birds carrying the young when hatched down to the Avater 

 in their bills (' Birds of the Nort-h West,' p. 554). 



Eed-breasted Goose. Bemida ruficollis (Pallas). 



An accidental visitor, of extremely rai'e occurrence. One killed on 

 Dawlish (or Kenton) Warren, at the mouth of the Exe, in 1S28, was iu 

 the possession of Mr. W. Ilussell, of Dawlish (E. M., Mag. iN'at. Hist. 

 1837, p. 300). A second was shot on the Teign ]\[arshes, Februai-y 21st, 

 1837, by llendell, of Buckland (idem, I. c). There have been no recent 

 occurrences in the county. 



The home of this very beautiful Goose is Northern Siberia, so that the 

 few stragglers which have visited our shores have had a long flight to 

 reach us. AVe have never set eyes on either of the Devonshire specimens, 

 but have often admired the very perfect example which belonged to the 

 late Mr. John ^Marshall, of Belmont, Taunton, and is now in his ])rother's 

 collection at Norton Manor. Tiiis bird was shot at Maldon, in Essex, on 

 January 0th, 1871, and was for some time in the possession of Mr. J. E. 

 Harting. 



The Ited-breastod Goose is only a very rare straggler to any part of 

 Europe, and little is known about its nesting-habits. Tliere was a live 

 one for some titue at the Zoological Gardens, in London, which was very 

 tame, and had much of the actions and liabits of the Common Brent 

 Goose (Dresser, ' Birds of Europe,' vol. vi. p. 4i)()). 



[A specimen of the Spur-wingcd Goose, an African species, ^\:ls shot 



