BIRDS 
The Little Bampton bird was brought to me 
in a fresh state by Adam Linton, who des- 
cribed with great gusto how he saw the 
strange bird running in the bottom of a beck, 
and how quickly it crouched behind a bush 
when it perceived his presence. 
133. Spoonbill. Platalea leucoredia, Linn. 
A rare visitant. A single bird of the pre- 
sent species frequented the shores of the 
Solway Firth in the winter of 1840-41. It 
was closely and carefully identified through a 
glass by James Irwin, who watched it fishing 
in some shallow water near Bowness. Two 
spoonbills made their appearance in the county 
in 1859, having probably travelled in com- 
pany. Of these, one was shot in Scaleby 
meadows in November by George Bowman, 
who took it in the flesh to Sam Watson. 
The other was shot a few days later near 
Irthington, and stuffed by William Graham. 
In the west of the county an immature bird 
was killed on October 22nd, 1864, by John 
Parker, of the Tarn near Bootle. This bird 
was added to the museum of the late Mr. 
Wallace of Distington, and there remained 
until his entire collections went to the hammer 
in August, 1899. It was then that I pur- 
chased this example for the Carlisle Museum. 
134. Grey Lag-Goose. Anser cinereus, Meyer. 
A rare winter visitant, generally met with 
in the neighbourhood of the salt marshes. 
The finest local specimen known to me was 
shot by the late Alfred Smith upon Rockliffe 
Marsh, December 12th, 1890. I weighed it 
next day, and it scaled 8 1b, The bill was 
orange yellow and the legs were flesh-coloured. 
On December 22nd, 1899, two immature 
birds of the present species were killed near 
Skinburness by W. Nicol. These immature 
examples had bills of a pinky flesh colour, and 
orange legs with white claws. I examined 
them in the flesh with L. E. Hope. The 
late Mr. Edward Tandy presented me with a 
good grey lag, which had been shot in a field 
near Langwathby on March 29th, 1889. 
135. White-fronted Goose. Anser albifrons 
(Scopoli). 
A winter visitant of irregular occurrence, 
quite unknown in large flocks within our 
limits. The greatest number of white-fronted 
geese that have hitherto occurred together in 
the county consisted of nine birds of various 
ages, which were shot on Skinburness Marsh 
on January 6th, 1890. This gaggle flew up 
from the sea when the marsh was nearly 
covered by a very high tide and alighted so near 
to one another on a rather elevated part of the 
ground, that all nine were killed by a single 
discharge of a punt-gun. Other specimens 
have been obtained in the neighbourhood of 
the Solway Firth, including two fine adults 
shot out of a flock of five near Allonby in 
November, 1882; a single bird shot in the 
same neighbourhood in November, 1884; 
another adult shot on Skinburness Marsh in 
January, 1889, when accompanying four 
pink-footed geese; an old bird shot in the 
locality last named in December, 1894; and 
an immature bird shot on another of the 
marshes in January, 1898. I handled in the 
flesh two old birds which had just been shot 
near Plumpton in January, 1891 ; again, in 
November, 1898, a mature female was killed 
near Greystoke. This last bird seemed to be 
a very old one. 
136. Bean-Goose. Anser segetum (Gmelin). 
A winter visitant to the salt marshes, met 
with irregularly in almost every part of the 
county. W. Nicol met with a flock of bean- 
geese near Silloth which he estimated as 
including about sixty birds; this was in 
October, 1898. But small flocks are much 
more often in evidence than large ones, and 
single birds are not uncommon, despite the 
gregarious habits of this genus. With us this 
species shows much partiality for stubble fields 
and swampy meadows ; but the marsh grasses 
are also partaken of with relish, especially 
when young and tender. Some wet meadows 
upon the Eden above Carlisle are visited by a 
few bean-geese in most severe winters, Speci- 
mens have been procured on different occa~ 
sions near Alston, Keswick, Cockermouth, 
and as far south in the county as Bootle. 
137. Pink-footed Goose. 
chus, Baillon. 
A winter visitant, arriving in some years as 
early as the middle of September, but usually 
present in large numbers from October to 
March, or even April in favourite localities. 
Inland it isof irregular occurrence. In January, 
1887, two birds of this species were shot out 
of a flock of sixty-seven near Brampton, and 
sent to Newcastle for preservation. But 
though many of the geese which migrate 
across the county may belong to this species, 
there can be no doubt that it chiefly frequents 
our salt marshes, particularly the large salting 
known as Rockliffe Marsh. At one time 
the bean-goose held the ground, but in the 
last decade the marsh has often been eaten 
bare at its extremity by the great numbers of 
pink-footed geese which browsed upon the 
herbage, covering the ground with their 
droppings and leaving many feathers behind 
them. 
Anser brachyrhyn- 
197 
