446 TEE ZOOLOGIST. 



wing a protuberance, ichich may have had a spur on it at some time. 

 The bill is long, slender, and straight along the culmen, orange- 

 yellow in colour from base to nail ; along the culmen, commencing 

 about half an inch from base, there is a remarkable shield-shaped 

 patch of black, ivhicli ivill be best understood by referring to the figure. 

 The nail is slaty black in colour, and larger in proportion than that 

 of A. segetum. The under mandible is black from the base for 

 three parts of its length, then a band of orange-yellow , and 

 terminated with a black %>. There is a very important feature 

 in connection ivith the bill. The serrations on the upper mandible 

 are large and distinct, but do not show to advantage in the photo- 

 graph. On the lower mandible the serrations are remarkable 

 and quite distinct from those of A., segetum ; they are large in size, 

 sharply pointed, and directed backward, ivhereas in the Bean- 

 Geese they are straighter, blunt, and more fused together, This 

 suggests that the bill is adapted to pulling up roots of aquatic 

 vegetation, and is a further valuable proof of the aquatic habits 

 alleged by Strickland. The feet are very large, ivith the inside 

 nails curiously curved inwards like those of a Swan; the first nail 

 on foot white in colour, second and third half black and ivhite. 

 The legs, toes, and webs are orange-yellow in colour. Iride dark 

 hazel. Weight, 8 lb. ; total length, 35 in. ; wing, 19 in. ; tarsus, 

 3'55 in. ; centre toe, 3'35 in. ; bill, 2'60 in. 



This bird appears to have been banished from Great Britain 

 for something like a century ! it must have found a home some- 

 where else — but where ? 



It has been suggested to me that A. paludosus may be identical 

 with Brehm's A. arvensis. A paper on this latter bird has quite 

 recently (Oct. 4th, 1902) been communicated to the 'Field' by 

 Mr. Frohawk, who endeavours to prove that this is the common 

 Bean-Goose of our land. I cannot at present agree with him on 

 several points he raises. 



At first I was somewhat inclined to think that. A. paludosus 

 might be identical with A. arvensis, as there is certainly some 

 similarity between the bill of my bird and of that figured by 

 Mr. Frohawk, but more mature study has for the present dis- 

 pelled the idea. There is a similarity, and that is all. There 

 are differences which would need much explanation. Mr. Fro- 

 hawk appears to have examined a considerable number of Conti- 



