1 86 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



CASE 36, 



THE BRENT GOOSE. 



07'der, Anseres. Family, A^iatidcE. 



This Goose seems to be far more abundant, and 

 to have a wider and more oreneral distribution 

 over the British Islands than any other of the 

 different species that visit us during the autumn and 

 winter months. Its most favoured locaHties appear 

 to be the north-east coast of England, the Orkneys, 

 and Shetlands, and in many places on the Irish coast. 

 It is essentially a marine species, seldom coming 

 inland unless wounded. It feeds generally in the 

 early mornings and evenings in tidal waters on mud- 

 flats and sand - banks, on sea-wrack and other 

 aquatic weed brought in by the tide ; the position 

 I have seen them in being one with just sufficiency 

 of water to enable them to stand and feed with their 

 heads and necks submerged. I have seen the water 

 almost black with countless numbers of these Geese 

 standing and feeding in salt water in this way. 



Now I must say something about the specimens 

 in the case, and the reader must pardon me if I make 

 a little digression. I had been staying at Glenbeigh, 

 county Kerry, in the winter of 1893-4, and had 

 added several good specimens to my collection, when 

 I heard of a place called Castle Gregory — a small 

 country town near Tralee — as a good district for 

 Wild- Fowl. It had one principal shop, and there the 

 peasants purchased all their daily wants in the way 



