234 Ligyptian Goose. [cHAP. XII. 
goose (Anser segetum), the pink-footed goose (A. brachy- 
rynchus), the white-pointed goose (A. erythropus), the bar- 
nacle goose (A. leucopsis), the brent goose (A. brenta), the 
Canadian goose (A. Canadensis), and even the Egyptian 
goose (A. Hgyptiacus). The last mentioned was first de- 
tected by Mr. Boyd himself. In a letter to Edward, dated 
the 24th of November, 1853, he said: ‘One morning 
lately I was informed that there was a strange bird of the 
goose tribe in my mill-dam. I sallied forth with a telescope 
in one hand and a double-barrel, loaded with No. 1, in the 
other. I first took a leisurely look at him with the former 
at less than one hundred yards distance, when I made the 
following observations: Size and appearance those of a 
small wild goose; head, brown and gray mixed; back, rich 
‘brown, lightish ; breast and neck, gray; tail, dark or black; 
tips of wings, ditto, and glossy; legs and bill, reddish; a 
dark ring round the neck, and a dark spot right on the cen- 
tre of the breast. He was nibbling the tender grass on the 
dam banks. I then approached nearer. Instead of flying, 
he merely swam away to the other side of the pond, and 
seemed either very tired or else accustomed to the pres- 
ence of man. I was quite within shot of him, but, from 
his tameness, I conjectured that he was some fancy animal 
escaped from a gentleman’s demesne. I then went for 
some corn, and scattered it on the banks, and as soon as I 
moved away he came to eat it. When startled, he gener- 
ally makes a circuit of a quarter of a mile and returns 
again; but. latterly he goes to the loch of Strathbeg all 
night, and returns in the morning for his corn. Iam afraid 
he will not be spared long, although I have sent word in 
several directions that he is not to be shot. I should be 
glad if he would become domesticated. I wish you would 
look over some of your books and tell me what he is. I 
have not seen a bird of the same kind before.” 
From Mr. Boyd’s minute description of the bird, Edward 
was enabled to inform him that it could be nothing else 
