lO THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Brent Goose Branta bemida (Linn.). 



The Brents and Barnacles are collectively known as " black 

 geese " to distinguish them from the " grey "' group. They are 

 more maritime in their habits than the grain-eating greys and 

 feed largely on Zostera and other marine plants. Two, if 

 not three geographical races of Brent have been recorded 

 as winter visitors to our islands, and the B.O.U. Committee, 

 though rejecting the Black-bellied Pacific B. nigricans 

 (Lawrence), with a complete or almost complete white collar, 

 as having been recorded on insufficient evidence, retain the 

 dark B. b. bertiicla and the Pale-breasted American B. b.glaiico- 

 gaster (Brehm), which the editors of the " Hand-List" now 

 consider as varieties, since, as shown by M. Alpheraky, they 

 nest in the same area. 



The Brent (Plate 7) is, on the wing, a small dark goose, 

 stumpy and almost duck-like. The small white patches on its 

 neck, and the white tail-coverts and abdomen show con- 

 spicuously in contrast with the black head and neck and 

 general dusky plumage ; the white stern is specially notice- 

 able, for the coverts above and below almost screen the dark 

 tail. The bird is very gregarious ; huge packs visit the east 

 coast and Ireland, and it is met with in smaller numbers all 

 round our shores. 



October is the usual time of arrival, though a few come 

 in September; Mr. Abel Chapman considers the 17th of 

 the latter month exceptionally early for Northumberland, 

 and says that the numbers are seldom large until after 

 Christmas. In two consecutive years the first reached the 

 Yorkshire coast on October 6th and September nth, but 

 in the former case one bird only, some days before I saw 

 others. Most leave in March or April, but stragglers may 

 remain until May or even later. The Brent feeds by day, but 

 it rarely leaves the shore, finding its vegetable, and occasionally 



