142 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



from the Bean-Goose, which most nearly approaches 

 it in size, by the colour of the nail on the beak, 

 which is black in the latter, and white in the Grey 

 Lag and White-fronted Goose. The present species 

 is, comparatively speaking, seldom found upon the 

 sea-coast, its favourite feeding-haunts being open 

 green pasture-lands and the grassy margins of fresh- 

 water lakes and rivers, and as it leaves the regions of 

 frost and snow before the winter sets in, it is seldom 

 forced by nature to the tidal mud. In captivity 

 I can perceive no difference between the habits of 

 this and our domestic Goose. The Grey Lag is very 

 noisy and pugnacious, and a very bad neighbour for 

 the young of other aquatic birds. 



172. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 



Anser alhifrons. 



This species visits us occasionally in small numbers, 

 generally in the depth of winter or in the very early 

 spring. In December 1860 I found seven of this 

 species upon one of our meadows near Aldwincle, and 

 vainly attempted to get a shot at them. The day 

 was one of sharp frost and brilliant sunshine, and 

 the bars on the breasts of these Geese were very con- 

 spicuous. My friend and neighbour, Mr. G. E. Hunt 

 of Wadenhoe, found and shot a very fine adult male 

 near Achurch on January 6, 1880. This bird was 

 alone, and is now in my Northamptonshire collection. 

 Mr. W. Tomalin recorded in the ' Field ' of January 

 10, 1880, that his son killed one of this species near 

 Northampton on the ord of that month, and that 

 another was killed by Mr. E. Butlin, of AVelling- 



