ON A LOST BRITISH WILD GOOSE. 443 



published in the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society' (1861, 

 p. 19), from Mr. A. D. Bartlett, asserting that the bird described 

 by Strickland as A. paludosus was only an old male Bean-Goose. 

 This was an unfortunate error of Bartlett, brought about 

 probably by the very poor outlines of bills published by Strick- 

 land in the 'Annals and Magazine of Natural History ' (1859, 

 3rd series, vol. iii. p. 124). If Bartlett (or anyone else) had ever 

 seen a specimen of the Long-billed Carr-lag Goose like the one 

 which is now before me, he would not have been inclined to 

 declare that it was only a very old Bean-Goose. However, so 

 much acceptance appears to have been accorded to Bartlett's note 

 that it effectually disposed of Strickland's new species, which 

 has been disregarded until the fortunate acquisition of my speci- 

 men has brought it to the front again ; at all events, I hope this 

 will be so. 



It is deeply to be regretted that so little information con- 

 cerning this once resident and breeding, but now completely 

 banished, British bird remains to us. Practically all we know is 

 contained in Strickland's paper, and he had, it would seem, to 

 depend upon the information supplied by the carr-men ; for the 

 bird had disappeared even before his time. 



I cannot do better than here quote some of Strickland's 

 observations on this bird. He says : — " Before the beginning of 

 this century, when the carrs of Yorkshire were the resort of 

 countless multitudes and numerous species of wildfowl, giving 

 employment to numbers of decoy-men, fowlers, and carr-men, I 

 understand it was stated there were two species of Geese 

 frequenting and breeding in the carrs, known by these people by 

 the name of the Grey-lag and the Carr-lag. What the Grey-lag 

 was is well known, as fortunately that bird retains the name 

 originally given to it by the fowlers. What the Carr-lag was it 

 is probably impossible now to demonstrate ; but I have every 

 reason to think it was this Long-billed Goose — a bird that 

 resided and bred in the carrs along with the Grey-lag, and, like 

 that, is no longer to be found in these districts, and, as far as I 

 know, is not at present to be found in any part of this country, 

 and is now one of our scarcest British birds, or almost a lost 

 species. This bird is distinguished from the Bean-Goose by its 

 entirely different habits, and, as before stated, by its long bill. It 



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