76 Baby Birds at Home 



picked up in stubble fields, grass, and different 

 kinds of water plants. When flying in a flock, 

 the birds generally travel in the shape of the 

 letter V with the sharp base point of the 

 letter going first > . 



A curious feature in the life of this bird 

 is, that it moults so rapidly, that for a time 

 it has not sufficient feathers in its wings 

 to lift its heavy body from the ground. At 

 this season it either goes into hiding, or 

 takes to large sheets of open water for safety. 



The nest is made in deep heather, tall 

 rough grass, rushes or osiers. It is formed 

 of dead flags, heather or rushes, and is lined 

 with plentiful supplies of down and feathers 

 plucked from the bird's own body. Upon 

 leaving the nest of her own accord, the old 

 female covers her eggs carefully with down ; 

 this keeps them warm whilst she is away. 



The eggs number from five to nine, and 

 are of a yellowish or creamy white colour. 



Young Grey Lag Geese are covered with 

 down, and leave the nest almost directly after 

 they are hatched. It is a very pretty sight 

 to watch an old bird of this species proudly 

 swimming in a Highland loch, with her family 

 following in single file close behind her. 



