72 ANATIDAG 
species. With the exception of the Red-breasted Goose, 
which is only a rare wanderer to our shores, the Brent is the 
smallest member of its family and the one which is most 
abundant along our coasts. ‘To the eastern and southern 
shores of HMngland it is a plentiful visitor and thousands 
frequent various parts of the Imsh coast. The Brent is very 
abundant in T'ralee Bay, co. Kerry, where I have seen 
acres of slob-land tenanted by immense gatherings. On 
the west of Scotland, however, it 1s less numerous than the 
Bernacle. his Goose arrives about September, and ‘its 
numbers increase until December. It remains until April, 
and I have seen small parties early in May on the Dublin 
coast. Stragglers in summer have been seldom recorded ; 
a specimen was obtained on July 10th, 1887, at the Island of 
Rathlin O’ Birne (Barrington). 
I have watched great numbers of Brent Geese on the 
extensive mud-flats of Dublin Bay, within a few iiles of the 
city. These birds are exceedingly clever and are quite able 
to discriminate between an ordinary pedestrian and a gunner 
approaching them on the open strand. I have seen these 
Geese alight within seventy yards of the main thoroughfare, 
crowded with noisy holiday seekers, nor did the din of the 
electric cars, the whiz of the passing cyclist, nor the 
suspicious-looking ornithologist, as he peeped over the wall 
and stood staring through his field-vlasses, cause any anxiety 
among the flock. Shooting i is here forbidden, and well the 
Geese know it. But let the gunner try to approach them— 
be it ever so stealthily—on the strand, and ere he get 
within two hundred yards of them off they fly. With 
the aid of my field-glass I have been able to view these 
birds so that they seemed to appear almost at my feet. 
On several occasions I have had the good fortune to arrive 
at their feeding-grounds before them, and have watched 
a flock fly in from the sea and pitch on the ooze. The 
birds almost immediately begin to feed, with the exception 
of perhaps one or two which may look about for a few 
minutes, and in this locality, where the birds are compara- 
tively tame, I have not noticed any special sentinel Geese. 
They usually walk leisurely after one another, heading in 
the same direction, some, however, may be seen retracing 
their steps, some indulging in a chase, with wings spread 
and necks at full stretch, while others often halt to preen 
their feathers. As they feed they search among the sea- 
wrack, for Zostera and other marine weeds; “they will 
