BRENT GEESE 327 



come no further south than is actually necessitated by 

 their food-requirements, and they are only driven reluc- 

 tantly southward, point by point, before the advancing 

 line of the winter's ice. In severe winters, however, the 

 congealing element carries strong-hold after stronghold 

 against them, and, as their last resources in the Baltic 

 and in Denmark are closed up, they come here — but 

 not before. 



Though small numbers may frequently be seen here 

 about the end of October, and these slightly increase as 

 the winter advances, yet, as already stated, the great 

 bulk do not arrive till after Christmas, and during January 

 their numbers are being constantly reinforced by arrivals 

 of "strangers," till their maximum numbers are reached, 

 usually in February : during which month in severe 

 seasons the aggregations are often almost incredible. The 

 "strangers " referred to are distinguishable on first arrival 

 by their ignorance of local geography. It is often amusing 

 to watch a big flight of them about daybreak, hungrily 

 seeking the entrance to the harbour after their over-sea 

 journey. Each bird appears to have his own idea of the 

 way in, to judge by the clamorous chorus they keep up ; 

 yet, after tacking off-and-on for half-an-hour, the whole 

 pack will sometimes return to sea rather than trust them- 

 selves to fly over dry land, or into an ambush. 



The following are the approximate dates of arrival of 

 these geese on the north-east coast during twenty years : — 



1877. Middle of January. 



1878. Early days of January; immense numbers in 

 February and March. 



1879. Second week in January. 



1880. As early as December 7th, 1879. 



1881. January 15th; very abundant in February. 



