268 ANATID^. 



was of a dull white, and measured 3*4 by 2*4 in. Eggs 

 produced by the Bean Goose in St. James's Park were a 

 little smaller. 



Mr. Abel Chapman says that in Northumberland this 

 Goose makes its appearance about the middle of October. 

 It feeds entirely inland, and by day ; and during severe 

 winters he is accustomed to see them daily, when out in his 

 gunning-punt, flying to the fields of hard-corn and clover- 

 lea at daybreak, returning to the sea coast at dusk. They 

 do not roost afloat, but on an immense expanse of dry sand 

 which is seldom covered even at spring-tides. Selby thinks 

 that our name of Bean Goose has been suggested by the 

 decided partiality of the bird to pulse and grain ; and Mr. 

 Harvie-Brown states in corroboration that in Stirlingshire it 

 punishes the farmers' newly- sown beans in early spring. 



Sir R. Payne-Gallwey says that he has seen a gaggle of 

 Bean Geese alight, and, after some scrutiny, peck and beat 

 to death a decoy-goose which was entangled in the fastenings 

 by which it was pegged down ; also that he has on several 

 occasions seen a sentinel bird relieved of his duties by a 

 companion. He adds that Geese are not very wary at 

 night, nor do they then appear to possess the powers of vision 

 of other wild-fowl. Bean Geese are the slaves of weather ; 

 when frost sets in they are driven for sustenance to tidal- 

 waters ; continued rain and wind keep them inland ; a 

 north wind unsettles them ; a north-east wind, again, will 

 bring them to the coast in anticipation of frost ; a change, 

 and they are on their travels once more. 



The bill is two inches and a quarter in length, nearly as 

 long as the head ; rather slender towards the end, and 

 pointed ; the nail, edges, and base, black, the middle por- 

 tion deep orange ; irides dark brown ; a few white feathers 

 on the base of the bill ; the head and neck, brown, tinged 

 with grey ; back and scapulars darker brown, slightly 

 tinged with grey; each feather margined with greyish-white; 

 wing-coverts, secondaries, and tertials, greyish-brown, edged 

 and tipped with white ; primaries dark greyish- black ; under 

 wing-coverts ash-brown ; rump blackish-brown ; upper tail- 



