The Geese. 



135 



THE 

 BRENT GOOSE. 

 (Bvanta hcrnicla.) 



the Mediterranean. The species feeds on grass like other Geese, and betakes itself 

 to the sand-banks when the latter are left uncovered by the tide. The nest is 

 unknown, but the eggs, laid in confinement, are white, and measure about two-and- 

 three-quarters to three inches in length. 



In the true Brent Geese the head and neck are entirely 



black, and the Common Brent is recognised by the length of the 



upper and under tail-coverts, which generally completely hide 



the tail. Considerable variation takes place in the colour of 

 the breast, which is sometimes white and sometimes blackish, but these two 

 forms occur together in the north, and intermediate specimens are not rare, 

 so that they cannot be considered to be different species. It is a winter visitor 

 to Great Britain and is often seen in large flocks on the eastern coasts 

 of England, Scotland and Ireland, being rarer on the westera coasts. It nests 

 throughout the Arctic regions from the Taimyr Peninsula to Spitsbergen 

 and Greenland, the white-breasted form leing more common in the western 

 part of its range. It visits the coasts of Northern and Western Europe in 

 winter, and even occurs in the Mediterranean. The Brent Goose frequents the sea- 

 coasts, where it feeds on aquatic plants and small crustaceans and marine insects. 

 After the nesting-season the quills are moulted and large numbers are caught in 

 their helpless condition by the Samoyedes and stored for winter food. The nest is 

 placed on the sloping sides of a hill and is merely a depression in the ground, 

 covered with moss and lined with a warm bed of down. The eggs are four or five 

 in number, creamy white in colour and measuring from two-and-three-quarters to 

 nearly three inches in length. 



This is a very 



beautiful Goose 



and is of rare 



occurrence in 



Western Europe. 

 Its red breast renders it easilv recog- 

 nisable. The breeding home of the 

 species is in Siberia, in the valleys of 

 the Ob and the Yenesei, and in winter 

 it visits the Caspian Sea in great num- 

 bers and is found in the Mediterranean 

 at the same season. It has occurred 

 in many countries of Europe, and at 

 least on eight occasions in F.ngland 

 and Scotland. In habits it appears to 

 resemble other Brent Geese, but is niit 

 so maritime a species as the Common 



THE 



RED-BREASTED 



GOOSE. 



[Bernida nificollis.) 



The Red-breasted Goose. 



