Anatidæ.--Between Dec. 4th and 20th Swans passed the Teesmouth from N. to S. in some numbers; on the 4th, six; the 8th, five (four old and one young); 14th, nine (eight old and one young); 15th, forty-three; 16th, three; 18th, two; the 20th, ten at 10 a.m., and ninety-five at 11 a.m. On the 18th a flock of thirty was seen near Spurn, one old white bird acting as pilot, the remainder all young, in the brown plumage. Two Bewick's Swans were shot on the Humber on the 8th. Four passed the Kentish Knock, on Dec. 4th, 2.15 p.m., N.E. to S.W. Two Swans, which may have been "escaped birds" from some private waters, passed the Teesmouth on Sept. 30th, 10 a.m., flying S.E. Geese were observed at several stations both north and south of the Humber, going south from Aug. 18th to Dec. 13th, the main body passing south during the last half of November and in December. Brent or "Black Geese" are noted at the Corton, going south, July 18th, twelve; July 30th, two flocks of from thirty to forty; on Sept. 17th, thirty. These are very early dates for Brent Geese,[14] Mr. Cotton, the observer, might have possibly been led into an error by passing flocks of black Scoters. As, however, "black ducks" are frequently mentioned in his return, this could hardly be the case, and he appears very well able to discriminate between the two. At the Corton, Dec. 4th, hundreds of black geese from N.E. to S.W. from sunrise to noon--_i.e._, towards the mouth of the Thames or Essex coast. As might have been expected, large flocks of Ducks are constantly noted, so frequently indeed, as to defy repetition; this is more particularly the case in the returns from the lightships. They are noted sometimes flying S., from the land or to the land, and in fact in every direction. Many of these would be local flocks going to and from their feeding grounds. Immense numbers, however, coming from the north, passed along the coast in November and December. At Coquet Island, on Dec. 14th, 3 a.m., N.W., blowing a gale, two Eider Ducks (spelt phonetically, "Ida" in the report) struck lantern and one was killed. [Footnote 14: Major C. Russell, writing from Essex, says, "The earliest occurrence of Brent Geese on our coast I ever remember hearing of was Sept. 29th, when many years ago one of our coast gunners, still living, killed ten at a shot."]