Bij the Rev. A. 0. Smith. 



155 



"Brent Goose." (Anser torquatus.) This little black species . 

 is the most numerous of all the Geese on our coasts, but is so 

 ! essentially marine in its habits that it is by no means common in 

 | the interior of the county : occasionally however a straggler 

 ; wanders out of its course, and I have several instances of its occur- 

 rence near Salisbury, near Corsham, and near Calne. Its beak is 

 very short, and like the general colour of its plumage, quite black. 

 \ I cannot forbear to call attention here to the monstrous popular 

 error which very generally prevailed regarding the origin of this 

 goose, sometimes called the " Brent Bernicle," as well as that of 

 the other Bernicle (A. leucopsis), and in deference to the archaeo- 

 logical character of this journal, I will quote the story as related 

 by an old writer of the time of Elizabeth. " There are found in 

 the north parts of Scotland, and the islands adiacent, called Or- 

 chades, certaine trees, whereon do growe certaine shells of a white 

 colour tending to russet, wherein are contained little liuing crea- 

 tures, which shells, in time of maturity doe open, and out of them 

 grow those little liuing things, which falling into the water, do 

 become fowles, which we call barnacles ; in the north of England, 

 brant geese ; and in Lancashire tree geese : but the other that do 

 fall vpon the land, perish, and come to nothing. Thus much, by 

 the writings of others, and also from the mouthes of people of those 

 parts, which may very well accord with truth." 



" But what our eies haue seen, and hands haue touched, we shall 

 declare. There is a small island in Lancashire, called the Pile of 

 Foulders, wherein are found the broken pieces of old and bruised 

 ships, some whereof haue beene cast thither by shipwracke, and 

 also the trunks and bodies, with the branches of old and rotten 

 trees, cast vp there likewise ; whereon is found a certain spume or 

 froth that in time breedeth vnto certaine shells, in shape like those 

 of the muskle, but sharper-pointed, and of a whitish colour ; the 

 other end is made fast, wherein is contained a thing in forme like 

 a lace of silke, finely wouen, as it were, together, of a whitish 

 colour, one end wherof is fastned vnto the inside of the shell, even 

 as the fish of oisters and muskles are ; the other end is made fast 

 unto the belly of a rude masse or lumpe, which, in time, commeth 



