292 ANATIDJ^. 



the Mediterranean ; but in the extreme south its occurrences 

 are irregular, as they also are to the inland waters of the 

 Continent. It appears not improbable that it breeds spar- 

 ingly in some parts of Iceland ; and it certainly does so in 

 immense numbers on Spitsbergen and the neighbouring 

 islands, Novaya Zemlya, the coasts and islands of Arctic 

 Siberia, and the land to the north as far as man has yet 

 penetrated. Returning westward, its breeding range can be 

 traced to Greenland beyond 73° N. lat. ; and thence, through- 

 out the shores and islands of the Arctic Sea, as far as 

 82° 30' N., where Major Feilden of H.M.S. ' Alert ' found its 

 nest. In winter it descends the Atlantic seaboard as far as 

 Long Island, New York ; sometimes extending its migrations 

 to Florida and Texas. On the Pacific side it is replaced by 

 a closely-allied species, B. nigricans, in which the white on 

 the middle of the neck forms an almost complete collar, and 

 the black of the jugulum extends over the breast, fading 

 slightly into dark brown on the abdomen. This latter 

 species visits Japan. 



The nest of the Brent Goose is described by Major 

 Feilden as being placed upon the slopes of the hills between 

 the line of snow and the sea-ice ; it is composed of a good 

 i'oundation of grass, moss, and stems of saxifrages, with a 

 warm bed of down, in which the eggs, usually four in 

 number, are deposited. The latter are creamy-white in 

 colour, smooth in surface of shell, their average measure- 

 ments being 2-8 by 1'8 in. The male generally remained 

 near his mate ; and in one instance, after Major Feilden 

 had shot the female ofi' her nest, the gander came hissing 

 at him with head bent down and neck close to the ground, 

 in the same manner as our domestic birds resent intrusion 

 on their premises. Both sexes are described as being most 

 assiduous in taking care of their young. 



By the end of July, or early in August, the old birds are 

 unable to fly, owing to the moult of their quill-feathers, and 

 under these circumstances considerable numbers are some- 

 times killed, although not without trouble, for they can run 

 with great speed. They rarely dive, except when wounded, 



