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 A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE fact that a second bird in the same state of plumage was seen about the spot for some days at that time (Yarrel, iv. 202, ed. 4). In the Field of September 29, 1865, mention is made of a little bittern shot at Maidenhead in August of that year. On May 4, 1 869, a female was killed on the banks of a pond belonging to Mr. Holmes near Wargrave (Zool. July, 1867, p. 829). Another was obtained on the Thames one and a half miles from Wallingford in winter, and is in the collection of Mr. Newton. 1 2O. Bittern. Botaurus stellaris (Linn.). The bittern at no very distant date was probably resident in the marshes of Berks, and even now so often is it shot in the early spring that it seems likely it would breed if only pro- tection were afforded. The most recent cap- tures that have come under my notice are a male and female shot at Hennerton on January 2 and 9, 1892. In January, 1895, Mr. T. Dewe killed one at Duxford near Farringdon whilst shooting duck by moonlight, which is now in the museum at Oxford (in lit.). Another was obtained at Kintbury in November, 1883, under rather curious circumstances : it flew in the face of one of the beaters, who knocked it down with his stick (Zool. 1884, p. 469). In 1885 one was killed at Rapley Lake, Bag- shot (Long in lit. to Bucknill). 121. Glossy Ibis. Pbgadis falcirutltu (Linn.). Dr. Lamb writes ('Ornith. Bercheria') : ' A male of this very rare bird was shot a few miles from Reading in September, 1793, whilst flying over the Thames in company with another.' 122. Grey Lag Goose. Anser cinereus y Meyer. A rare winter visitor. Clark Kennedy states on the authority of Dr. Bowder Sharpe that this bird has been taken near Cookham, and seven were seen, one of which was killed, near Boveney Lock (Birds of Berks and Bucks, p. 1 99). Mr. Barnett has found a record of two of these geese killed near Remenham in February,! 854, by relations of his. 123. White-fronted Goose. Anser albifrons (Scopoli). A rare winter visitor ; one, a mature male, is recorded in the Zoologist for 1884 (p. 469) as having been shot by Sir R. F. Sutton on December 24, 1879, near Kintbury. [Lesser White-fronted Goose. Anser ery- thropus (Linn.). Under the name of Anser erythropus Dr. Lamb (' Ornith. Bercheria ') mentions a bird shot near Reading, January 24, 1795, which must refer to the previous species, as the lesser white-fronted goose was not described at the time in which he wrote.] 124. Bean-Goose. Anser segetum (J. F. Gmelin). One was shot on the Thames by Mr. G. Jackson, January 24, 1850, when living at Greenlands (Birds of Oxon, p. 1 90). 125. Pink-footed Goose. A nser brae hyrhync bus (Baillon). Very rare wanderer. Mr. Cornish tells me that one was shot about 1890 at Cat- more, and is preserved at the ' Fox and Cubs ' at Lilly. [Bernacle-Goose. Bernicla leucopsis (Bech- stein). Writing about 1814 Dr. Lamb says, ' fre- quently seen about Newbury in severe wea- ther.' Times have changed since then, and I can find no recent record of its capture, though Captain C. E. Ruck-Keen of Swyn- combe House has a specimen which was shot at Henley, probably on the river (Birds of Oxon, p. 191).] 126. Brent Goose. Bernicla brenta (Pallas). Three of these birds were killed on the Thames near Henley at one shot by Mr. George Jackson, who has one preserved (Birds of Oxan, p. 191). There is one in the Oxford Museum labelled ' Kennington, 1830,' and another, in the collection of Mr. Newton, was obtained on the Thames one mile from Wallingford. Mr. C. Barnett of Mill End tells me he killed one on the Thames at Aston Ferry in the winter of 1880. The following note from the manuscript of the late C. E. Stubbs, written in or about 1867, is of interest : ' Of wild geese, grey lags have been shot a few times, so have bean-geese much more often, and also white-fronted ; in fact scarcely a winter passes without one or other of the geese visiting us in greater or lesser numbers. Brent geese have been ob- tained a few times ; I saw a pair that were shot down below Greenlands some years ago, and have often heard the country people call them black geese.' [Canada Goose. Branta canadensis (Linn.). Egyptian Goose. Chenalopex aegyptiacus (Linn.). Spur-winged Goose. Plectropterus gam- bensis y Linn. Black Swan. Chenopsis atratus (Lath.). Polish Swan. Cygnus immutabilis, Yarrell. All these species have been killed in our 156