4i8 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



breeds sparingly in the Western Islands of Scotland. This 

 bird displays the same delicate pink colour in its bill when 

 young, as the Bean Goose does in its legs, and which has 

 erroneously been considered a distinct species, under the name 

 of Pink-footed Goose. 



" From time immemorial one of the features of the north 

 and east of England has been the regular periodical appear- 

 ance of countless flocks of Wild Geese which arrive about 

 the end of harvest, and which received the name of Bean Goose 

 as coming in the time of bean harvest, and when the bean 

 stubbles were ready for them. This species is the only one 

 that has any claim to the name of Bean Goose {or segetum), the 

 only migratory species in this country, and the only abundant 

 and common species we have. Unaccountable as the case may 

 appear, this bird is not figured or characterized in any work 

 of Natural History I am acquainted with, and is not men- 

 tioned in the works of Mr. Yarrell, Mr. Gould, or Morris, 

 further than ascribing the habits of this bird to one given by 

 these authors under the figure and description of an entirely 

 different species under the erroneous name of segetum, or 

 Bean Goose. Some years ago, Mr. Bartlett, struck with the 

 difference between the geese he met with in the market and 

 the descriptions and drav/ings given of the Bean Goose, was 

 induced to constitute a new species under the name of Pink- 

 footed Goose ; but this was an erroneous view of the matter, 

 being in fact the young or immature bird of the true Bean 

 Goose. This bird, the true segetum, or Bean Goose, or Short- 

 billed 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 every autumn, spreading during the day- 

 time over the stubbles and clover fields on the Wolds and other 

 open districts, rising like clockwork in the evening, and winging 

 its way in long strings to the sandbanks in the Humber, and 

 other safe retreats for the night, returning as punctually in 

 the morning to its 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 



