PINK-FOOTED TtOOSE. '^73 



The uest is said to be placed in situations commanding 

 an extensive view, and the male is constantly on the watch 

 to warn his mate of any approaching danger, Messrs. 

 Cocks and Chapman found three pairs with goslings in the 

 yellow downy state at Magdalena Bay, Spitsbergen, on the 

 29th July, by which date the adults had recovered the use 

 of their wings, being more advanced in their moult than 

 the Brent Geese. The eggs are rather less than those of 

 the Bean Goose, of a pure white colour, and measure 3*15 

 by 2-25 in. 



In captivity the Pink-footed Goose is said to keep apart 

 from its congeners. The Zoological Society had a male for 

 several years which never associated with any other birds ; 

 and the Ornithological Society had a female which, during 

 the summer of 1840, would not associate with any of the 

 various species kept with her in St. James's Park ; yet she 

 laid eight eggs, and began to sit, but of course there were no 

 proceeds. In the wild state, Mr. John Macdonald of North 

 Uist says, that in their habits birds of this species differ 

 from the Grey Lag, with which they do not associate, and 

 he has seen them in parks and enclosures near houses, 

 localities generally avoided by the latter except when 

 tempted by corn or young clover. 



The voice of the Pink-footed Goose differs from that of 

 the Bean Goose in being sharper in tone, and the note is 

 also repeated more rapidly. 



The bill is but one inch and five-eighths in length, con- 

 siderably shorter than the head, narrow, and much contracted 

 towards the tip ; the nail, and the space from the nostrils to 

 the base black, the intermediate space pink ; the irides dark 

 brown ; head and neck dark ash-brown, the colour becoming 

 lighter towards the lower part of the neck ; back brownish- 

 grey, edged and tipped with dull white ; upper wing-coverts 

 bluish-grey ; primary quill-feathers lead-grey, with white 

 shafts ; the secondaries still darker, almost bluish-black ; 

 rump greyish-ash colour ; upper tail-coverts white ; tail- 

 feathers grey, edged and tipped with white ; neck in front, 

 breast, and belly, pale ash-brown, with lighter- coloured 



VOL. IV. N N 



