BRENT GEESE 331 



On alighting- at their feeding-grounds, the geese at 

 once commence greedily to pull up and devour the blades 

 of the sea-grass, or Zostera marina; the whole black 

 crowd advancing in the closest order over the green oozy 

 sward, all heads down, except the sentries, of which an 

 ample number are always discernible. With their small 

 narrow bills, it takes a considerable time for a brent to 

 satisfy his appetite, and as the flood-tide covers the flats, 

 setting the geese afloat, they still continue feeding as 

 busily as ever, pulling up the sea-grass which grows 

 within reach beneath them. Even at full tide, and in 

 deep water, the geese have no difficulty in obtaining 

 abundance of food in the floating grass which is always 

 carried off the flats by the tide ; but they never dive for 

 their food or otherwise, except when wounded, and, even 

 then, they are very poor hands at diving. 



In approaching a gaggle of black-geese feeding afloat, 

 during the exciting moments when the punt gradually 

 draws near, a number of white spots are observed 

 constantly to break their dark line, appearing for a 

 moment, then vanishing. The effect is peculiar, and is 

 caused by the geese (as the water deepens) turning up 

 vertically in the sea, paddling with their feet while their 

 heads reach down to the waving grasses below. Their 

 black fore-ends are thus submerged, while white sterns 

 protrude conspicuously. 



After finishing their morning feed, before noon, the 

 geese are disposed to rest and spend the middle of the day- 

 floating about on the water, preening themselves ; and, 

 in mild weather, splashing about and chasing each other 

 in sheer exuberance of spirit — analogous to what we 

 might call a "flirtation"' — while the volume of sound 

 that proceeds from a big pack is something one re- 



