THE BRITISH WILD GEESE. 273 



induced to institute a new species, under the name of the Pink-footed 

 Goose, though I was satisfied from the first this was an erroneous view of 

 of the matter, and that this was really a fictitious species, (being the young 

 of the true Bean Goose,) and further observations have entirely confirmed 

 my convictions; still Mr. Bartlett had the merit in some degree of drawing 

 the distinction between the Long and Short-billed Goose, but the real Bean 

 Goose still remained undescribed. This bird, the true Segetum, or Bean 

 Goose, is distinguished by its short and strong bill — its depth at the base 

 being nearly two-thirds of its length — and by its migratory habits differing 

 in that respect from all our other Geese, arriving periodically every autumn, 

 spreading during the day-time over the stubbles and clover fields on the 

 wolds and other open districts, rising like clock-work in the evening, and 

 winging their way in long strings to the sand-banks in the Humber and 

 other safe retreats for the night, returning as punctually in the morning 

 to their feeding-grounds. This bird differs from the Pink-footed Goose in 

 being larger, having a stronger bill and lighter plumage; but these differences 

 are the result of age, not of species, and a careful examination of the 

 numerous flocks on the wolds, as well as the individuals killed out of them 

 will confirm this. 



The next bird to be considered is the Long-billed Goose, figured and 

 described by Mr. Yarrell, Mr. Gould, and Mr. Morris under the name of 

 Segetum, or Bean Goose. This is distinguished by having the bill exactly 

 twice the length of the depth at the base, a proportion quite different 

 from the Short-billed Goose. 



Before the beginning of this century, when the carrs of Yorkshire were 

 the resort of countless numbers and numerous species of wildfowl, giving 

 employment to numbers of decoymen, fowlers, and carrmen, I understand 

 it was stated there were two species of Geese frequenting and breeding in 

 the carrs, known by these people by the name of the Grey-lag and the 

 Carr-lag. What the Grey-lag was is well known, as fortunately that bird 

 retains the name originally given to it by the fowlers. What the Carr-lag 

 was it is probably impossible now to demonstrate, but I have every reason 

 to think it was this Long-billed Goose, a bird that resided and bred in 

 the carrs along with the Grey-lag, and like that bird is no longer to be 

 found in these districts, and as far as I know is not now to be found 

 in any part of this country, and is now one of our scarcest British Birds, 

 or almost a lost species. This bird is distinguished from the Short-billed 

 or Bean Goose by its entirely different hab'ts. and, as before stated, by 

 its long bill. It may be thought by some that this difference of length 

 may be the result of age, but this cannot be maintained, as its bill is 

 small and weak, suited to its aquatic habits; — very unlike the short bill of 

 the Bean Goose, suited to its granivorous and herbivorous feeding. It may 



