ANATID.t. 



411 





THE BRENT GOOSE. 

 Bernicla brenta (Pallas). 



The Brent is the most abundant and generally distributed of the 

 Geese which visit us ; and is found, in varying numbers, on the 

 coasts of Great Britain— particularly the east and south— throughout 

 the cold months of the year. Unless wounded, it is seldom seen on 

 inland waters, and it passes a great part of the day and night at sea ; 

 while at other times it frequents the extensive mud-flats and sand- 

 bars on the shore which are exposed at every ebb-tide. Immense 

 flocks resort to the vicinity of Holy Island on the Northumbrian 

 coast, and multitudes have been observed in some seasons on the 

 Cromarty and Dornoch Firths. In the Orkneys it is common, 

 though local, while it visits the Shetlands annually ; but in the 

 Hebrides and along the west side of Scotland it is less numerous 

 and less regular in its visits than the Bernacle. Vast quantities 

 occur in many places on the shores and estuaries of Ireland. 



In cold weather the Brent Goose migrates to the Fseroes, the 

 coasts of Scandinavia, and the shores of Europe generally; 

 occasionally reaching the Asiatic and African portions of the 

 Mediterranean, and even as far south as Mogador (Payton;. It 

 seldom occurs in Iceland, and the Danish Expedition did not 

 obtain it in East Greenland, but it breeds on the west side and on 

 the opposite shores of Grinnell Land up to 82^ 30' N. In varying 



