o 



THE BEAN GOOSE. 571 



but it is said that the young- do not attain the full plumage of the old bird before their 

 *burth year, and until then they appear to keep in separate floeks. 



In common with most of the true geese, the plumage of this bird adds to the comforts 

 of many, and its flesh, when well fed, is excellent. It is said greatly to exceed in 

 juiciness and flavour the flesh of the Canada goose. At the time of their departure 

 southward from Severn Fort, in October, many thousands are killed by the inhabitants, 

 who pluck them, and taking- out the entrails, put their bodies into holes dug in the 

 ground, covering them with earth, which, freezing above, keeps them perfectly sweet 

 throughout the severe season, during which the inhabitants occasionally open one of these 

 stoi'ehouses, and find the birds untainted and good. The same mode of preserving them 

 appears to be practised in Siberia. 



THE WHtTE-l-'RONTED GOOSE.* 



Of its habits in Xorth America, Dr. Richardson observes, that " The Laughing Goose 

 travels in great flocks, through the fur-countries, eight or ten days later than the Canada 

 goose, and breeds on the coasts and islands of the Arctic Sea, north of the 67th parallel 

 of latitude. The autumn migration southwards commences early in September ; and its 

 return at that season to the fur districts is often the tirst indication of winter bavins: 

 begun within the Arctic Circle. The Ijidians imitate the call of this goose by patting the 

 mouth with their hand while they repeat the syllabic icah. The resemblance of this note 

 to the laugh of a man has given some of the trivial names to this species. It passes on 

 toward the United States, in advance of the Canada goose ; and Mr. Audubon says that 

 it arrives before the latter in Kentucky, where many of the species winter ; but many 

 also, he is convinced, go entirely to the southward of the United States boundary." The 

 same naturalist informs us that this species leaves its winter quarters a fortnight sooner 

 than the Canada goose, which is different from the order of their appearance on the banks 

 of the Saskatchewan. Its flesh is superior to that of the Canada goose. It frequents 

 grassy ponds. 



THE BEAN GOOSE.f 



During an excursion made by a party of naturalists in Sutherlandshire, in the summer 

 of 1834, ^Ir. Selby says : " We were agreeably surprised to find that the Bean Goose 

 annually breeds upon several of the Sutherland lakes. The first intimation we received 

 of this interesting fact was at Lairg, where we were informed that a few pairs bred u^wn 

 some islands about twelve miles up Loch Shin. We accordingly took boat the following 

 morning, and, upon arriving at the place, discovered a single pair, attended by lour or 

 five young goslings. None were obtained, as the old birds being wild, escaped, seemingly 

 uninjured, although repeatedly fired at ; and the goslings immediately dived, and escaped 

 into the reeds and other herbage. Upon Loch Naver we also found several pairs attended 

 by their young, seemingly about a fortnight or three weeks olJ, one of which, after a 

 severe chase, we procured. Upon the islands of Loch Laighul, from thirty to forty pairs, 

 we were informed, annually had their nests. We saw several old birds, and the nests 

 that had been used, which are concealed in heath, upwards of three feet in height, that 

 covers the islands. The eggs were all hatched, and most of the young had betaken them- 

 selves to the neighbouring moors, where they continue till able to fly, secreting themselves 

 when disturbed in the highest heather. At Tongue we saw some goslings about a month 

 old (following a hen), which had been hatched from eggs taken at Loch Laighal. We 

 were told they became nearly as tame as conmion geese, but refuse to intermix or breed 



* Aiisei EiTtluopua. t Aiiscr Scgctum. 



