BRANTA RUFICOLLIS 111 



■' Thick clouds of geese (of both species) got up from the shores 

 of the lake, cackling incessantly, and flew off to the steppe ; and the 

 abandoned lake now contained only sheldrakes and avocets. A 

 belated gaggle of geese had alighted near my place of concealment, 

 but a white-tailed eagle at once dispersed them, giving me no chance 

 of shooting. 



" We sat in our pits to no purpose until 8 o'clock, and then went 

 to the river, to drink tea, on our way putting up Brahmini Ducks 

 feeding in the steppe grass. Having finished our tea — a nasty, 

 muddy infusion from the river, l)ut not brackish — we again took up 

 our posts in the pits, after carefully screening them with grass. 



" At ten in the morning the call of the geese resounded from the 

 Atrek ; a series of black streaks showed from beyond the river : 

 nearer and nearer they flew, and the whole steppe round was filled 

 with clouds of birds. To gain any idea of the vast masses that 

 collect to migrate, one must actually see this host of geese, and hear 

 their cackle, which drowns the human voice. Without any exagger- 

 ration, it may be said that there were tens of thousands of birds, some 

 of the flocks containing from at least 300 to 500 birds. Flock after 

 flock arrived on the lake ; the first parties were followed by others, 

 and from beyond the river appeared the ever-approaching squadrons. 

 They flew for the most part in masses, and only small flocks of ten 

 to twenty geese disposed themselves in transverse lines. 



" It may here be added that in winter the hazarkas generally flew 

 to the water and back in crowds, or more rarely in a transverse 

 drawn-out line, but very seldom in a single line or in a ' key,' that is, 

 in a longitudinal line or wedge, like swans, most geese and cranes. 



" The flocks on arrival settled above the lake, and seeing nothing 

 suspicious, settled, although far from the shore ; they flew very high 

 and dropped vertically on to the water. The majority of the flocks 

 consisted of Anser crythropus ; but there were also many of A. 

 ruficollis, easily distinguished by the deep black of the belly, the 

 bright white streak on the wings, and their squeaky, shriller-toned 

 note compared with the white-fronted species, as well as their 

 notably inferior size. The last flocks, seeing their fellows already 

 sitting on the water, descended much lower as they approached the 

 lake." 



Dr. Eadde says that their flesh is dry and tough, but this refers to 

 birds on migration ; and Lepekhin says that its flesh " is not disagree- 

 able, and is excessively fat." It is said to be easily tamed, and to 

 become as familiar and confiding when in a domestic state as it is 

 wild and cautious when in a state of nature. 



