266 ANATID^. 



Westmoreland or any other part of England ; and subsequent 

 investigation has shown that Selby was wrong in his iden- 

 tification, and that, as already stated, the Grey Lag Goose is 

 the only species which has ever been proved to breed in Scot- 

 land or its islands. The Bean Goose generally visits us 

 from August onwards, and a good many frequent our coasts 

 throughout the winter, a return migration being observable 

 early in the spring. In some seasons, and in certain 

 localities, it is more abundant than its close ally, the Pink- 

 footed Goose ; but the balance of evidence, so far as the 

 Editor has been able to sift it, appears to be in favour of 

 the general numerical superiority of the latter. This is the 

 case on the eastern side of England ; also, according to Mr. 

 F. S. Mitchell, in Lancashire ; but in Cornwall, the late 

 Mr. Rodd has stated that nine-tenths of the flocks of Wild 

 Geese which visit the south-west in hard weather are Bean 

 Geese. In the eastern districts of Scotland the Bean Goose 

 appears to be the predominant species ; but to Orkney and 

 Shetland it is only an occasional straggler. In the Outer 

 Hebrides, according to Mr. R. Gray, it is a common winter 

 visitant, remaining on the outlying rocks and islets, especially 

 in the neighbourhood of Harris, as late as the beginning of 

 June. 



In Ireland Sir R. Payne-Gallwey says that " it is by far the 

 commonest species, and may be seen in enormous ' gaggles ' 

 for six months of every year. It is essentially an inland 

 feeder, on bogs and meadows ; but will fly to the mud-banks 

 and slob of the tide at dusk, to pass the night. These 

 Geese frequent every bog and marsh in Ireland which afford 

 food and security from molestation. They are always found 

 inland in large numbers, save in frost, when they fly down 

 to the meadows and soft green reclaimed lands that lie near 

 the tide. A small proportion will, in the wildest weather, 

 frequent the mud-banks to feed and rest. They usually quit 

 their inland haunts at dusk ; disliking to remain on land 

 by night, where dogs, men, or cattle may disturb them, and 

 accordingly fly to the estuaries to rest and feed. At first 

 dawn they again wing inland, and pass the day in open, 



