BIRDS Bernicla leucopih 169. Barnacle-Goose. (Bechstein). This goose is certainly rare with us, and seasons often pass without its being observed. Mr. Gurney considers it the rarest of our Norfolk geese. The Canada and Egyptian geese are often met with at large, but are probably of domestic origin. 1 70. Brent Goose. Bernicla brenta (Pallas). The brent is a hard-weather goose most frequent in the shores of the Wash, where in long-continued frosts sometimes large quan- tities assemble. 171. Whooper Swan. Cygnus musicus^^zzh- stein. This is essentially a hard-weather swan ; a few are generally met with every winter, but in long-continued severe weather they some- times visit us in considerable numbers. 172. Bewick's Swan. Cygnus bewickl, Yar- rell. Bewick's swan is much rarer than the whooper, but occurs under much the same circumstances. 173. Mute Swan. Cygnus olor {Gm&Wn). The mute swan so often occurs in an apparently wild state that it is not unlikely some of them may be genuine migrants. 174. Polish Swan. Cygnus immutabilis, Yar- rell. The so-called Polish swan has frequently occurred in apparently a perfectly wild state in this county, and the late Mr. Gurney has bred white cygnets from domesticated in- dividuals. 175. Sheld-Duck. Tadorna cornuta (S. G. Gmelin). Although in the early years of the century probably much more numerous with us, the sheld-duck still breeds in several favoured localities on the west and east coast of the county. 176. Ruddy Sheld-Duck. Tadorna casarca (Linn.). This species has now been killed so fre- quently on the Norfolk coast, apparently quite in a state of nature, that it really seems to have established its claims to a place in this list. 177. Wild Duck or Mallard. Anas boscas, Linn. A common species, generally distributed, and breeds with us. For an account of the decoys of Norfolk, see Trans. Norf. and Nor. Nat. Soc, ii. 538. 178. Gadwall. yfnas strepera, Li'mn. From an occasional migrant, by the turning down of some pinioned birds taken in Narford Decoy about the year 1850, this species has become perfectly naturalized and breeds freely in several localities, and apparently is extend- ing its range. 1 79. Shoveler. Spatula clypeata (Linn.). This bird is a regular winter migrant, and breeds with us in increasing numbers. 180. Pintail. Dafila acuta {LAnn.). This is not at all a common duck with us. It generally visits us in winter, but has been met with in May, June and July under circumstances which indicated that it might have bred here. (Booth, Rough Notes, pt. xiii.) 181. Teal. Nettion crecca ^ n.). The teal is resident and still breeds with us, receiving large accessions to its numbers in the autumn, but like the preceding appears to be on the decline as a breeding species. The ' bimaculated duck,' a hybrid between this species and the wigeon, is believed to have occurred in Norfolk in 1846 (cf. Zoologist, p. 1698, and 1848, p. 2026 with 182. Garganey. Querquedula circia (Linn.). Until of late years the garganey nested regularly in certain localities of the broads district, where it was a constant summer visitor ; but for the last few years the num- bers have been on the decrease, its place seeming to be taken by the shoveler. 183. Wigeon. Mareca penelope {Linn.). The wigeon is a common winter visitor. There is a late spring migration northward, and it has been seen in the summer months under circumstances which indicate the pro- bability of its having nested here on more than one occasion. 184. Red-crested Pochard. Netta rufina (Pallas). This species was first recognized as British from a specimen killed at Yarmouth in July, 1818 ; since that time eight others have been obtained. 185. Pochard. Fuligula ferina {hinn.). The pochard is a common winter duck, and breeds in south-west Norfolk. 237
