Birds of Britain 



as incubation proceeds, with down plucked from the body 

 of the female. The eggs are usually six in number and 

 dull yellowish white in colour. 



As soon as the female begins to sit the males gather 

 together in small flocks and take no further interest in 

 their mates. Geese are strong fliers, and, being very wary 

 birds, extremely difficult to approach. In flight they 

 usually assume a wedge - shaped formation known as 

 a " skein." The note is a harsh " gaggle, gaggle," like 

 that of our domestic Goose, which is supposed to have 

 originated from this species. 



There is some doubt as to the origin of the name 

 Grey Lag, but it is now generally conceded to have been 

 applied to this species because it lagged behind after the 

 other Geese had gone to their breeding quarters in the north. 



The adult is greyish brown on the upper parts and 

 breast, the rest of the under parts being whitish grey with 

 a few black feathers. The young are rather darker and lack 

 the black feathers underneath. Length 34 in. ; wing 17 in. 



THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE 



Anser albifrons (Scopoli) 



This Goose, whose chief breeding grounds are in Siberia, 

 though it also nests across the whole of Northern Europe, 

 visits us in fair numbers every winter, but it is more abun- 

 dant in the south and south-west than on the east coast, 

 and is everywhere very local in its distribution. 



It very closely resembles the Grey Lag Goose, but there 



232 



