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winters.' In West Norfolk, according to Mr. Lubbock, a good many White-fronted Geese are 

 sometimes observed with the Bean, or, as now distinguished, more probably with the Pink- 

 footed. Blakeney and Holkham have been already mentioned as localities where it is occa- 

 sionally remarked ; and the brackish waters of Salthouse would seem to have attractions, as an 

 adult bird in my own collection was killed there on the 22nd of December 1866, and Mr. Dowell 

 had one sent him from the same place so early as the month of October 1850. A single bird 

 was killed at Surlingham, during a severe frost, in January 1864, being over twenty miles from 

 the coast ; and a specimen in Mr. Upcher's collection, at Sherringham, was, singularly enough, 

 shot out of a fence by the sea, where it was discovered by a Scotch terrier. The Messrs. Paget 

 describe them as ' occasionally seen on Breydon ;' and Hickling Broad appears to be a favourite 

 resort in sharp weather. 



"It is remarkable that during the severe winter of 1870-71 this species, as Lord Leicester 

 informs me, was not seen at all at Holkham ; and a single adult bird, which I purchased in the 

 Norwich market on the 18th of February, was the only example that came under my notice 

 during that inclement season." 



Mr. Cordeaux says (B. of Humber Distr. p. 150) that in the Humber District it is "an 

 occasional winter visitant, but by no means common, although tolerably numerous in some 

 seasons ; flocks were seen, and several birds shot from them, in the neighbourhood of the 

 Humber during the severe winter of 1864-65." It is also found during the autumn and 

 winter on the coasts of Northumberland and Durham, and also in Scotland in various localities. 

 Mr. Robert Gray writes (B. of W. of Scotl. p. 346) as follows: — "After much patient research, 

 I have come to the conclusion that this species is the most local of all the British wild geese. 

 It seems to be plentiful in Islay, from which island I have seen fine specimens of the bird sent 

 to the Glasgow bird-stuffers ; but in nearly all the other islands, including the whole of the 

 outer group, it can only be ranked as a straggler. Mr. Graham has met with it on one or two 

 occasions in Iona and Mull, the specimens which he obtained having been attracted by tame 

 geese in the poultry-yard, with which they remained for some time. Mr. John Macdonald, 

 Newton, has also informed me that it is rare in North Uist; one was seen on his farm in 1856. 

 This last specimen attracted Mr. Macdonald's attention by its peculiar cry ; it remained for 

 several days beside his semidomesticated Grey-lags, and seemed to prefer their company to that 

 of the domestic geese. Similar records have been sent me from other islands, and also from 

 some districts on the mainland, all of which tend to show that when single individuals stray 

 from the main body they really take refuge, after a time, among domestic poultry. In 

 the West of Scotland its head quarters are in the island of Islay ; and I am indebted to 

 Mr. Elwes for the following interesting notes, which are the result of his own observations, on 

 the species : — ' This is the common Grey Goose of Islay. It arrives usually in the first week of 

 October, and stays till the second week in April. On their first arrival they keep a good deal 

 about the lochs, and feed in the marshy places around them; but later in the year they go 

 regularly to the stubble- and grass-fields to feed, showing a great partiality to particular fields. 

 They go in flocks, from three to four to one hundred or more, and are not very difficult of 

 approach to a good stalker, when on the fields, as there is nearly always a wall or ditch within 

 shot of them. The old birds sometimes have the breast entirely black ; but usually the black is 



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