in January 1864. One was shot at Medmenham in 1851 and specimens are said to have been taken near Chesham (Birds of Berks and Bucks, p. 189). One was shot near the border at Cockmarsh, close to the river, by Mr. Jackson on January 14, 1871 (Cocks, Field, 1873, p. 135). A specimen was shot on Cholesbury Common by a keeper on December 12, 1892. It is well known that a pair had bred on the Tring reservoirs in 1 849, the old bird having been killed on the nest(!) and some eggs having been taken. One of the latter is in the collection of Prof. Alfred Newton, another in that of Miss Williams, Tring. This case of breeding is correctly mentioned in the History of Herts, p. 208, but Clark Kennedy claimed it for Bucks. The fact is that the border of Bucks and Herts just touches the outside of the reservoir.
118. Grey Lag-Goose, Anser cinereus, Meyer.
A rare winter visitor, sometimes alighting in flocks on inundated meadows in the Vale of Aylesbury in the parishes of Hulcott and Aston Clinton (Kennedy, p. 199); also seen sometimes, as the late Mr. Wiglesworth told us, near Castlethorpe on the river Ouse.
119. White-fronted Goose. Anser albifrons (Scopoli).
According to Kennedy (p. 199) it has occasionally been shot on the Thames. In 1867 some were seen near Surley, some obtained near Eton, Windsor and Datchet. According to information from the Rev. H. Harpur Crewe this species has occurred near Drayton Beauchamp, but no details are known.
120. Bean-Goose. Anur segetum (Gmelin).
Occasionally comes to the Thames in hard weather, and flocks are occasionally reported of this as well as of other geese; it is however not safe to mention these reports as the identification is always uncertain if no specimens have been obtained. According to Kennedy (p. 117) it occurs in cold weather near Slapton and Chesham.
121. Brent-Goose. Bernicla brenta (Pallas).
In 1865 a person named Bunce shot a pair of these geese near Datchet. Two specimens were shot near Eton in January 1867, when many more were seen. The Rev. H. Harpur Crewe has seen them in severe weather in small flocks near Drayton Beauchamp on the reservoirs (Kennedy, p. 118).
122. Whooper. Cygnus musicus (Bechstein).
The wild swan, whooper or hooper, is an occasional winter visitor, generally less rare in severe winter weather. There are a number of records, but it is wise to be careful with records about this swan, as escaped or feral mute swans are often mistaken for the whooper by non-ornithologists, especially if the birds were only seen, not obtained. Mr. Hassell (Field, February 1 86 1, p. 93) says that a pair were shot at Wraysbury on February 17, 1861. One was shot at Latimer, and was in 1868 in the collection of Lord Chesham. On February 21, 1864, five wild swans were seen at Fawley, and with them were two mute swans. The two latter were killed, while the whoopers flew westward over the Chiltern Hills. Mr. Crossman is in error, saying that the whooper had not occurred on the reservoirs near Tring of recent years, though Clarke Kennedy stated that it was formerly an occasional visitor there. A flock visited the reservoirs in the winter of 1891, and two were shot by the head keeper.
123. Mute Swan. Cygnus olor (Gmelin).
Kept on many waters, and often flies away to other lakes or ponds. Many are hatched on the river Thames. Feral mute swans are often reported as ' wild swans.' Doubtless (among others) a so-called wild swan that was ' knocked over with a stone ' near Brickhill by a labourer on December 22, 1870, was a mute swan the same that escaped from a water not three miles distant (see Field, 1870, pp. 9, 30) the day before.
124. Common Sheld-Duck. Tadorna cornuta (S. G. Gmelin). Tadorna tadorna (Linn.).
This species lives on salt water, and is only a rare visitor inland; but according to Kennedy it has occurred on the Thames near Cookham. It appears from time to time on the Tring reservoirs on the borders of Buckinghamshire. Already in 1868 the Rev. H. Harpur Crewe had seen it ' several times swimming about the reservoirs.' Walter Rothschild saw one on January 8, 1888; Street, the keeper, another on January 10, 1897. W. Rothschild shot a young male on November 6, 1893, another young male December 12, 1899, both in the presence of E. Hartert. Both are in the Tring Museum. A gander sheld-drake was shot in this neighbourhood in March 1780 by the Earl of Chesterfield's keeper (MS. in Dinton Hall with picture of the bird).
125. Ruddy Sheld-Duck. Tadorna casarca (Linn.).
These birds are kept in semi-confinement
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