476 ANSERID^. 



to one more than to another. ITor do I find that any 

 ornithologists give any marks by which they may be 

 distinguished at a distance. All are gregarious, fly high in 

 the form of a V, or in an undulating line, uttering repeated 

 cries, which no one who has heard a domesticated Goose 

 can fail to recognise ; they pass the night for the most 

 part on broad flats near the sea, and at early dawn repair 

 inland to their feeding grounds. The Eean Goose is, on 

 the authority of Yarrell, next to the Brent Goose, the 

 commonest and most numerous as a species among our 

 Wild Geese. In Scotland it is far more abundant than in 

 England, being seen in large flocks from October to April, 

 especially at the periods of migration to and from its 

 summer quarters. But it does not altogether desert the 

 British Isles during the intervening months. A few are 

 said annually to remain, and breed in the lakes of West- 

 moreland, and in the Hebrides. In Sutherlandshire, also, 

 many remain all the year — a fact thoroughly ascertained 

 by Mr. Selby, who gives an interesting account of several 

 young broods which he saw on the lochs, some of which 

 he captured. They construct their nests among the tall 

 heath on the islands, and lay from five to seven eggs, 

 smaller than those of the Common Goose, but of a similar 

 shape and colour. 



THE PINK-FOOTED GOOSE. 



ANSER BRACHYRHYNCHUS. 



Folded wings not reaching to the extremity of the tail; bill shorter than 

 the head, narrow and much contracted towards the tip, pink, with the nail 

 and base black ; head and neck reddish brown ; rest of the upper plumage 

 ash-grey, edged with greyish white ; under plumage in front fawn-colour, 

 behind white ; irides dark brown : feet pink, tinged with vermilion. Length 

 two feet four inches. Eggs dull yellowish white. 



It is said that most, if not all the various species of wild 

 Geese have strong local attachments ; that flocks composed 

 of one particular kind are in the habit of visiting, year 



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