70 THE BEAN GOOSE AND PINK-FOOTED GOOSE. 



easily observe the approach of an enemy. They very seldom 

 ventured near any of the hedges, but generally kept about 

 the middle of the field at a considerable distance from the 

 fences or ditches, and were exceedingly vigilant and wary. 

 Although I tried very often to creep up to them when they 

 were feeding, I never succeeded in doing so, the birds 

 always discovering me before I got near enough to use 

 my gun with effect. The only way of getting within 

 range of them which I found successful was by marking a 

 flock from a distance with a telescope and then concealing 

 myself behind a thick part of the hedge of one of the 

 adjoining fields in the line of flight usually taken by the 

 Geese when rising from the particular ground on which 

 they were sitting. Before going to my place of conceal- 

 ment I used to instruct a boy in what direction to put 

 them up, and, if he managed well, they sometimes came 

 straight over my head within shot. In that way I had 

 the satisfaction of bringing down a Goose occasionally 

 with my gun. They sometimes sat all night in the 

 fields when there was moonlight, but generally resorted 

 to Gullane Sands in the evenings and returned to their 

 feeding grounds in the mornings, shortly after sunrise. 

 In Berwickshire Geese appear occasionally to remain on 

 the open moors at night. 



When they are seen winging their way from the north- 

 west to the south-east it is probable that they are proceeding 

 to Fenham Slakes in Northumberland, and when flying high 

 to the north-west, Gullane Sands in East-Lothian may be 

 their destination. They continuously frequent many locali- 

 ties in the county during the autumn months, and stay 

 throughout the winter, when the weather is open, the latest 

 recorded date at which they have been observed being the 

 22nd of May 1886, when Mr. Clay, Kerchesters, saw a flock 

 of twenty flying over " Gibbs' Cross " field on the farm of 



