GREY-LAG GOOSE. 503 



about the year 1825, he and one of his brothers breakfasted in the midst 

 of six nests, all full of eggs, of Grey Geese in the company of their dear 

 friend Nitzsch, the celebrated writer on pterylosis. Naumann describes 

 the astonishment and delight of the great anatomist as they breakfasted 

 together up to their knees in water in the great swamp ; and it is easy to 

 read between the lines how proud he and his brother, who knew every inch 

 of the ground, felt as they introduced their learned friend to scene after 

 scene of wonderful bird-life of which he had previously only dreamed. 



The Grey Goose is by no means so arctic in its breeding-range as either 

 the Bean-Goose or the White-fronted Goose, and it is only in Norway, 

 under the influence of the Gulf-stream, that it is found nesting north of 

 the Arctic circle. This sounds at first like a paradox ; for the mists and 

 rains brought up by the Gulf -stream cause the summer in Lapland to be 

 much colder than that in Siberia ; but the explanation is to be found in 

 the fact that the summers in Lapland are much longer than they are in 

 Siberia. The Siberian summer is not too cold to suit the Grey Goose ; it 

 is too short. 



The Grey Goose builds a large slovenly nest of dead reeds, grass, and 

 sedge, with sonaetimes a stick or two near the foundation. It is often a yard 

 across and a foot high, and in cold climates is generally lined with moss, to 

 which down is added as the eggs are laid. The number of eggs is usually 

 six or eight, but nests have been found containing as many as fourteen. 

 They are dull creamy white in colour, and vary in length from 3" 7 inch to 

 3*2 inch, and in breadth from 2'5 to 2*2 inch. They cannot easily be 

 confused with those of any other British Goose. They are larger than 

 those of the White-fronted Goose, and heavier than those of any other 

 species. 



When the eggs are all hatched the goose takes her young down to the 

 water to drink and swim, and to the green banks where the short tender 

 grass furnishes them with delicate food. Every evening she leads them back 

 to the old nest, where they roost under her wing. The gander, wlio all the 

 time that his mate has been sitting has kept faithful watch and guard 

 over her, takes his full share of the care and protection of the young family, 

 until the time comes when he. must retire to moult. The probable cause 

 of the early breeding of the Grey Goose, and of other species of the genus, 

 is to be found in the anxiety of these birds to fulfil their parental duties. 

 By commencing as early as they do, the gander is generally able to devote 

 his time to the young until they begin to have feathers, and the goose, 

 who moults about a month later, is able to look after them until thev can 

 almost fly. 



The Grey Goose is well known as one of the most familiar objects of the 

 village green ; but in a state of domestication it often becomes quite white. 

 In a wild state it differs Irom the Beau-Goose in having the lower back 



