58 ANATIDAG 
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. dnser albifrons (Scopoli). 
Coloured Figuwres.—Gould, ‘ Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. v, pl. 4; 
Dresser, ‘Birds of Europe,’ vol. vi, pl. 414; Lilford, 
‘Coloured Figures,’ vol. vii, pl. 21; Alpheraky, ‘ Geese 
of Europe and Asia,’ pl. 4. 
The White-fronted is smaller than either the Grey Lag 
or Bean-Goose, and its plumage is handsome and variegated. 
It derives its name from a rather conspicuous white patch 
on the forehead, but at a distance, this 1s not by any means 
the most distinguishing feature of the coloration. 
The White-fronted Goose is most easily identified among 
a mixed assemblage of geese, by the broad jet-black bars 
which traverse its breast. These beautiful markings have 
given rise to the popular name of ‘ Tortoise-shell Goose’ as 
applied to this species. 
It is very interesting to watch a large gathering or. 
‘gaggle’ of these birds. As a rule they can only be 
observed in the distance and by means of a binocular, as 
they are shy and watchful. Sometimes the flock may con- 
sist of more than one species of goose. For instance, I 
recollect seeing numbers alight on a marsh in a valley on 
the wild coast of western Kerry. J made my observations 
on a hill-side about a quarter of a mile away. ‘To the best 
of my belief, the flock consisted of some fifty birds, out of 
which over forty were White-fronted, and the remainder 
Bean-Geese.' T'wo of the latter species appeared to act as 
sentinels. It took me fully half an hour to distinguish the 
two species, for it was necessary to watch through my 
binocular until each bird, in turn, faced me so that the 
transverse black bars, or the absence of such, on the breast, 
could be discerned. Continuing my observations, I noted 
how the birds slowly paraded through the marshy grass. 
Most of them were heading in the same direction, and now 
and then one would halt to preen its feathers, while a 
few others steered leisurely across a muddy pond; the 
greater part of the flock, however, were engaged in feeding, but 
a few were resting, each supported on one leg. As the birds 
' It might be suggested that the supposed Bean-Geese were only the 
sombre-plumed immature White-fronted Geese. But this is unlikely for 
two reasons, (a) immature birds do not act as sentinels to the flock, (d) 
the numbers of adults in a flock would hardly exceed the immature 
birds to such an extent. 
