The Grey Lag Goose 



THIS is the only member of the Goose 

 family that breeds in the British 

 Islands. In olden times it used to live all 

 the year round in the Fen districts of Lin- 

 colnshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, and 

 is supposed to have derived its common name 

 from the facts that it is grey in colour and 

 lagged behind other species of wild geese 

 to breed. Drainage of its old strongholds, 

 and a greatly increased human population, 

 have long since banished it as a breeding 

 bird, and it is now only found nesting spar- 

 ingly in the North-west Highlands, and more 

 numerously in the Outer Hebrides. In the 

 latter part of the country the writer has 

 found in one day as many as half a dozen 

 nests containing eggs. When they become 

 too numerous the Crofters, or small farmers, 

 complain of the damage done by the geese 

 treading down their uncut corn. 



The Grey Lag Goose feeds upon grain, 



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