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THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 



Anser albifrons (Scopoli). 



The White-fronted — or, as it is sometimes called from its hoarse 

 note, the Laughing — Goose, is a smaller bird than the preceding 

 species, which, however, it resembles in having a white nail at the 

 tip of the bill. It is a winter-visitor to the British Islands, and 

 large flocks occasionally arrive in England, especially in the south 

 and south-west ; but it is not plentiful on the east coast, and is 

 local in its distribution. It annually visits some of the bogs in Wales, 

 as well as Swansea Bay, and is the species found in large numbers 

 on the Severn, especially near Berkeley, from December to 

 March. It is uncommon on the east side of the mainland of 

 Scotland, except near the Moray Firth ; while on the west it occurs 

 but sparingly in the Outer Hebrides, though in Islay it is the 

 commonest of the ' Grey ' Geese, arriving early in October, and 

 remaining till the middle of April. It is irregularly plentiful in the 

 Shetlands, and is the commonest species in the Orkneys. In 

 Ireland it is abundant, and more widely distributed inland than any 

 other member of the genus. 



The true White-fronted Goose has occurred in the Faroes and 

 throughout Iceland ; and although it is not known to nest in 

 Norway or Sweden, yet in winter it visits their coasts, as well as 



