Bird*. 971 



for much of what I am about to lay before your readers in the fol- 

 lowing notes ; while to my old ally, better known to your readers, 

 R. Loe, as an indefatigable wild-fowl shooter of more than forty years' 

 standing, I am under considerable obligation also. 



Of the genus Anser I have to record the occasional appearance, in 

 hard weather, of four species. 



The Bean Goose has been killed by R. Loe, pretty often in the 

 neighbourhood of Pan-common, and up the Newchurch marshes. The 

 only specimen I have seen is in the possession of Mr. W. Jacobs, of 

 the Parsonage, Newchurch. This bird was shot by Mr. Jacobs, in 

 the immediate neighbourhood. 



The White-fronted Goose has also been killed not unfrequently in 

 the same vicinity. I have not seen a bird of this species, but (alas ! 

 for the infirmity of the human intellect) missed seeing one only last 

 winter. One out of three that appeared was shot by the son of the 

 occupant of Alverston-mill, in February last. I was in the neighbour- 

 hood a day or two afterwards, and actually within a quarter of a mile 

 of the mill ; but my anxiety to find the little black woodcock, drove 

 the goose out of my head : so that, desirous as I am to state the oc- 

 currence of birds on my own authority, I, in this instance, lost the 

 opportunity of so stating the white-fronted goose, because my head 

 could not carry the complex idea of finding a live woodcock and in- 

 specting a dead goose. 



The Bernicle Goose I have seen in possession of Mr. Plumley, of 

 the Freshwater Hotel : it is not uncommon. 



The Brent Goose is abundant off the eastern shore of the island, 

 but very rarely comes inland. R. Loe has shot but one. 



Wild Swans have occasionally appeared in severe weather. R. 

 Loe has seen this fine bird three or four times. On one occasion, a 

 flock of six was seen by him to fly down into the meads above New- 

 church. He immediately proposed to a friend to get a horse and 

 stalk them : this they succeeded in doing ; but in the mean time the 

 flock had been increased by nine additional birds, two of which were 

 cygnets. One of the stalkers had proposed shooting with ball, which 

 was not assented to by the other. A second proposition was made, 

 namely, that they should fire at the heads of the swans : here, too, 

 unfortunately — at least so would have thought and said Col. Hawker 

 — they differed in opinion : and the result was, that on firing, all the 

 swans rose, leaving only a solitary cygnet behind. This occurred 

 some twenty years ago. 



The common Sheldrake has been obtained occasionally in Brading 



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