464 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
the top of the head, neck all round and breast black ; 
the feathers of the back and scapulars grey at the 
base, then a broadish bar of black and white at the 
tips; wing-coverts the same; rump bluish black; 
upper tail-coverts white; primary quills grey at the 
base, black towards the tips; tertials the same, but 
with less black, only slightly tipped with it; tail- 
feathers black; belly and all the under parts white, 
slightly tinged with grey on the flanks and thighs; 
legs, toes, webs and claws black. The young birds 
have the white of the cheeks varied with black 
feathers; the ends of the feathers on the back and 
wing-coverts tinged with red; the flanks barred with 
darker grey.* 
The eggs are said to be white. 
Brent Goose, Anser torquatus. The Brent Goose 
has been taken on our coast at Weston-super- Mare, 
as I have been informed by my friend, the Rev. 
Murray A. Mathew, and probably occasionally at 
other places. As Laver seems to form part of its 
food, I wonder it has not occurred oftener, especially 
in the neighbourhood of Minehead, the head-quarters 
of that sea-weed. This is a more common winter 
visitor on the southern coast of the neighbouring 
counties of Dorset and Devon than in this county. 
It is easily kept in confinement, and becomes very 
tame, but cannot quite overcome a wandering dis- 
* Yarrell, vol. i1., p. 168. 
