OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS IN MID-WALES. 255 



at Gogerddan, shot during the great frost of January, 1855 ; 

 while others occurred to Mr. Pryse in January, 1893, one of 

 them, a fine gander, being preserved at Lodge Park. 



Brent Goose, Bernicla brenta. Visits the Dovey every winter. 

 On Jan. 9th, 1893, I saw two parties, numbering in all about 

 thirty. 



Bernicle Goose, B. leucopsis. I have heard of no recent 

 occurrence, but there were some in the Dovey during the Crimean 

 winter of 1854-55. 



Whooper, Cygnns musicus. Swans are frequently reported, 

 but the majority of them certainly belong to the next species. 

 Mr. Hutchings has had several Whoopers, and a case at Nanteos 

 contains two which were killed by Col. Powell on the Teifi Bog 

 in the winter of 1854-55. 



Bewick's Swan, C. beivicki. Seen or obtained during every 

 hard frost. Mr. F. T. Fielden saw eleven in the Dovey on 

 March 2nd, 1890 ; parties of two and eight respectively in 1893, 

 besides a large flock, which he could not count, flying past Aber- 

 dovey out to sea. In January, 1893, Capt. G. W. Cosens, of 

 Llanbadarn, noted a flock of eight flying low over his house up 

 the Rheidol Valley. About the same time a flock of forty-two 

 remained for some days upon one of Sir Pryse Pryse's lakes. A 

 pair of Mute Swans kept upon the same pool easily put the whole 

 of them to flight. They used to take wing one by one with 

 musical clamour. 



Egyptian Goose, Chenalopex cegyptiacus. A fine example of 

 this introduced species was shot in 189 1 from a small flock which 

 was passing up the coast. 



Sheldrake, Tadorna cornuta. Very numerous in the Dovey 

 and Barmouth rivers, and increasing, as Mr. F. T. Fielden in- 

 forms me. The fishermen used frequently to get their nets round 

 a whole brood, but the practice has been stopped by one or two 

 prosecutions. Breeds in the warren at Borth, and along the 

 greater part of the Merionethshire coast, especially about Mochras 

 Island. Where the Cambrian line skirts the Dovey flocks of 

 from twenty to thirty may constantly be seen from the train, and 

 in June pairs of old birds with their broods may be noted within 

 a few yards. On April 9th, 1894, there were not less than two 

 hundred Sheldrakes in the river between Glandovey and the sea. 

 On July 3rd, 1893, I noticed two old birds in charge of twenty- 



