Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/320

294 we may take the case of White's Thrush, for though its proper home is far distant it is a bird of wandering habits, considerable powers of flight, is migratory within certain limits, and has been taken in several intermediate localities. Prof. Newton, I think, has enumerated about twenty captures on the continent of Europe, and it has been taken several times in England. Under these circumstances, I think, on sufficient evidence of the bird having been taken in an apparently wild state, and with no traces of confinement about it, we should be disposed to admit it; but should a supposed British-killed White's Thrush turn out on examination to be the allied Turdus lunulatus of Australia, I think, though the evidence as to the capture might be the same, we should hebe [sic] disposed to reject its claims to be British, on the ground of its still more distant habitat and the greater difficulties which would have to be encountered during the flight, its not having been taken in intermediate places (I believe it has not occurred even in India); moreover, there is only one extremely doubtful occurrence in England—in fact, so doubtful that it is not worth consideration. Numbers alone might be some guide, as in the case of the Sand Grouse, where the birds arrived in such numbers as to preclude the possibility of their all being escapes; some stragglers, however, were taken along the line of route, but in spite of that, had only a few appeared here, we should have been much more sceptical about them as their habitat is distant, and they are not much given to such erratic proceedings, and they can be, and sometimes are, kept in confinement. As to signs of captivity, where such are apparent I should consider them conclusive evidence of the bird being an escape; but where no such signs are apparent I should not at all consider their absence as conclusive evidence of such an event not having happened. Birds are now so well kept, and indeed occasionally allowed such perfect liberty, that no signs of captivity appear about them when they take it into their heads to wander, and, as unfortunately too often happens, are shot and recorded as British specimens. This is very much the case with ducks and other wild fowl. Many Canada Geese were shot about here the winter before last, and not one of those that I saw bore the slightest sign of having escaped from confinement, yet in all probability they were escapes; at least, for my own part I always feel very sceptical about Canada Geese, though the numbers that were then shot rather shook my scepticism. A few Egyptian Geese were also shot at the same time; these probably have a better standing ground than the Canada Geese, but still it is impossible to say that any particular individual which may be obtained is not an escape. To show how soon escapes are made into bonâ fide rare specimens, I may give an instance of my own, which is only one among several. This last spring I lost a Scaup Duck from my pond; three days afterwards I saw the skin at the Taunton Museum, just in time to stop a note to the local papers—and perhaps to 'The Zoologist' also—on the appearance of the