180 THE BRENT GOOSE 
THE BRENT GOOSE 
BERNICLA BRENTA 
Head, beak, neck, breast, feet, quills, and tail, black; on each side of the 
neck a patch of white with a few black feathers intermixed; upper 
plumage dingy; all the tail-coverts white ; belly brownish grey, barred 
on the flanks with greyish white. Length twenty-two to twenty-three 
inches. Eggs greyish white. © 
THE Wild Geese which we have hitherto been considering feed on 
grass, Clover, and grain, in quest of which they resort to inland 
marshes, meadows, and arable land; but the Brent is a decidedly 
marine bird. During its annual visits to our shores it stays out 
at sea by night, cradled by the billows, and at early dawn repairs 
to the muddy flats and sand-banks, where it feeds exclusively on 
marine plants, especially laver and zostéra. As soon as these are 
left bare by the ebbing tide, the Brents are taught by their instinct 
that they have no time to lose, and hasten in ‘skeins’ or ‘ gaggles ’” 
making in their flight a trumpet-like noise, which, heard at a distance, 
resembles that of a pack of harriers or fox-hounds in full cry. They 
prefer to take their stand on those parts of the ooze which are 
least intersected by creeks, and there, if left undisturbed, they 
continue to feed without intermission till the rising tide lifts them 
off their feet. Then, away to sea again ! or, if the,weather be boister- 
ous, they seek for shelter in the rivers and estuaries. They are 
local in their attachments, returning annually to the same feeding- 
grounds. They do not associate from choice with other species, 
for though they may be frequently seen feeding in the vicinity of 
various Waders, they form no society with them, and are, indeed, 
in quest of different food. Seaside fowlers are well acquainted 
with the peculiarity of their habits, and not only know where to 
look for them when they are settled, but at what points they can 
most easily be intercepted, going and returning. It is the custom 
of the fowler to conceal himself behind some lurking-place, natural 
or artificial ; or, if this be wanting, to stretch himself on the ground. 
Then, as a skein, unconscious of danger, approaches, he suddenly 
shows himself; the birds, panic-struck, huddle together before 
they alter their line of flight, and the sportsman fires into the midst 
of them. 
They are the most abundant of all the Geese which frequent 
our shores, and are killed in great numbers and sent to market. 
They come to us in November and remain till late in February, 
when they begin to migrate in successive flights, the youngest bird 
staying until April. It is not believed that they ever remain to 
breed, but that they repair to the Arctic regions, and make their 
nests of withered herbage in marshy ground, , ~~ 
