232 BIRDS. 



Like the rest of the family, the Pink-footed Goose has 

 its true home in arctic regions, but it visits our east 



.p. , coast in large numbers each winter; to the 



footed southern and western counties it is but a 

 Goose. j.j^j.g straggler only; in Scotland^ its appear- 

 ances vary considerably in different years ; while in Ireland 

 it has been obtained but once. It is a smaller bird than 

 the last, the nail on the beak is black, while the legs 

 and feet, though subject to variation, are pink. There 

 are conspicuous white markings on the tail. 



The White - fronted or " Laughing Goose " visits the 



western portions of these islands every winter in large 



fWhite- flocks. It is not unlike the somewhat larger 



fronted grey-lag goose, having the nail on the bill 



Goose. white ; but it may be distinguished by the 



white on the forehead and the black bars on the breast. 



There is also a smaller race, w^hich has more white 



about the face. This lias been obtained but once — on 



Holy Island. 



Snoiu Goose. — The Snow Goose is a rare \vanderer from 

 arctic America, wdiich has been obtained about half-a-dozen 

 times, mostly in Ireland, and which has more recently 

 been rej^orted as wintering in flocks in the northern coun- 

 ties of England. It has not occurred farther south than 

 Yorkshire. There is a larger race from arctic Asia, which 

 has not, however, straggled to these islands. 



Red-hreasted Goose. — A very rare straggler from Eastern 

 Siberia, which has been obtained seven or eight times, 

 mostly on the east coast. 



The Brent Goose visits the east coast every winter in 



t Brent large numbers, though its haunts are much 



Goose, disturbed by shore-shooters. It is easily known 



by its black head and breast and the white patch on either 



1 Muirhead (Birds of Berwickshire, ii. 72) enumerates nearly one 

 hundred farms in Berwickshire visited of late years by these birds. 



