152 BRENT GOOSE. BARNACLE GOOSE. 



I Genus — Chen]. 



[Chen albatus — Cassin's Snow Goose.] 



Four have been killed at different times in Ireland. 



Genus— BERNICLA. 

 BERNICLA BRENTA— Brent Goose. 



There swims no Goose so grey, but soon or late 

 She finds some honest Gander for her mate. 



VOPE— Wife of Bath. 



This is the smallest and most numerous of the Wild Geese, 

 which visit this county every winter. It is a marine species, and is 

 seldom seen on fresh water in the interior. They spend the greater 

 part of their time on the sea, feeding on laver and other drift weed, 

 but frequent the muddy flats and sand bars on the sea-shore at 

 ebb-tide. They are excellent eating, and in severe winters the 

 London shops are well supphed with them. 



A large flock of Brent Geese was seen on the river Wye, near 

 Brobury, in the winter of 1879 ; and one was shot on the river at 

 Ross, in 1882, which is now in the possession of Mr. W. C. Blake, 

 of that town. 



BERNICLA LEUCOPSIS— Barnacle Goose. 



The noisy Geese that gabbled o'er the pool. 



Goldsmith — Deserted Village. 



This handsome Goose is a regular winter visitor to the British 

 Isles, but it has very seldom been met with in Herefordshire. 

 The only clear record is of one, a female, in full plumage, which 

 was shot from a pool at Llangannock, St. Weonards, by Mr. T. L. 

 Mayos, of that village, and it is now in his possession. 



Geese are singularly sensitive of changes of weather, and are 

 natural rural barometers to those who can interpret their ways, as 

 Akenside has noticed : — 



