14 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



The nest, usually close to water, is a large structure of reeds 

 or other waterside plants, thickly lined with down. I have 

 found from four to seven eggs. The gander swims on guard, 

 though often at a distance, but the clanging alarm of the goose 

 will bring him at once ; then both will swim near the nest 

 honking and extending their necks in sinuous curves, en- 

 deavouring to terrify the intruder. The whitish eggs are usually 

 laid early in April. 



The normal migratory instinct appears to have been lost, but 

 the birds are wanderers during the winter, and the numbers to 

 be met with in any particular haunt vary greatly. When the 

 young are on the wing in July, the Cheshire birds, in flocks, 

 flight nightly towards the hills, returning to the meres in 

 the early morning, but whether the object is to roost on the 

 reservoirs or to feed at night on the moors I have failed to 

 discover. Normally the birds feed by day on the borders of 

 the meres, cropping the grass, and they also visit cultivated 

 fields. These passing flocks of " wild geese " are frequently 

 noticed in the first half of July, but seldom later, though the 

 birds move freely during autumn and winter. The note is a 

 resounding ho)ik, honk^ sounded if the feeding birds are 

 approached, and as they walk towards the safety of the water ; 

 they take wing if followed. 



The face to behind the ear-coverts, and the chin and throat, 

 are black, and the sides of the face are white, a marked cravat 

 in contrast to the black neck. The upper parts are brown, 

 pale feathtr-edgings forming bars ; the Hght brown flanks and 

 belly are faintly barred. The legs and bill are black, the irides 

 brown. Length, \z ins. Wing, 19*5 ins. Tarsus, 3 ins. 



Red-breasted Goose. Branta nificolUs (Pallas). 



The Red-breasted Goose is a western Siberian bird which 

 visits and winters on the Caspian and other waters and 



