BIRDS CLAIMING TO BE ACCOUNTED BRITISH. 269 
would-be Harlequins, only regretting that the tragical 
deaths of so many innocents should have done so little for 
the eause of science. Out of the whole twenty-two I could 
have dispensed with twenty, Eight are in my opinion 
clearly mistakes, and the rest are all doubtful except two— 
those being the original Lewes specimens, and the recent 
Aberdeen one. 
RED-BREASTED GOOSE. 
The Red-breasted Goose being such arare bird at home 
and abroad, I am delighted to have it in my power to give 
any additional particulars about it. It is a species which 
most ornithologists have always viewed with peculiar in- 
terest, perchance because it is so high-priced, and so 
seldom comes into the market; perchance because of its 
beauty ; perchance because it is by some supposed to be 
moribund, though with this I do not agree. 
A list of no less than ten reputed British specimens are 
given in Mr. Harting’s most useful handbook, though I 
would deduct four of them, and references to five local cata- 
logues are added. 
The fine specimen which was shot near London in 1776— 
the locality must not be taken too literally (Fox’s “New- 
castle Mus.,” pp. 96, 212)—is still in good order. It would 
seem from external appearance to have the breast-bone in, 
which was the old mode of stuffing. 
Of the Yarmouth specimen recorded by Paget, and Shep- 
pard and Whitear, Mr. Stevenson is going to give a full 
account, and I will not anticipate him further than to say, 
that he has not been able to get any actual proof of its 
having been correctly determined by Mr. Lilly Wigg, who 
being, as I have hinted before, afflicted with an unfortunate 
penchant for tasting rare birds, cooked this valuable Goose, 
which, skinned and sold, would have laid him golden eggs of 
