GEESE AND GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS. 205 



the last and the white of the breast, serve at once 

 to identify the Barnacle Goose. 



BRENT GOOSE— 23 inches; head, neck, and chest all 

 black, except small distinctive -white patch at side of 

 neck ; general colour darker ; without the clear cross- 

 bars on the upper parts. 



COMMON SHELDRAKE.— Plate 90. 25 inches. 

 The cokimn formed by the head and neck marked 

 with three broad encircling bands, sharply defined at 

 their edges — that of the head and upper neck glossy, 

 black-looking green ; that of the lower neck white ; 

 and the third band rich chestnut, encircling upper 

 back, shoulders, and chest ; body white, divided by 

 dark stripe passing along centre of breast and belly 

 to join chestnut patch beneath tail ; tail white, 

 tipped black; wings quartered — top foi^e - quarter 

 black, lower fore -quarter white, top hind -quarter 

 chestnut, lower hind -quarter dark, this last including 

 green speculum -patch ; bill brilliant red ; legs and 

 feet pink. Resident. 



Eggs. — 7—12, or even more, creamy-white ; 2'75 x 

 1-9 inches (plate 130). 



Nest. — Of grass or leaves, lined with feathers from 

 the bird itself, and placed at the extremity of a 

 rabbit-burrow. 



Distribution. — General where suitable flat sliores 

 and nesting-sites occur ; numbers greatly increased in 

 winter by migrants from the Continent. 



With head and neck banded like sections on a 

 surveyor's pole, its wings quartered like a coat-of- 



