~ 
ANSER FERUS. dO] 
Mongolia, beyond the Russian frontier. The first eggs were found on the 
15th of April, and others still unincubated on the Ist of May, of which this 
may have been one. | 
[§ 5392. One—*Sibérie.” From M. Jules Verreaux, 1873. 
Presumably from Dr. Dybowski, who found it very common in Dauuria, 
and gives the measurements of eggs from two nests (Journ. fiir Orn, 1873, 
p. 108).] 
ANSER FERUS (Bechstein). 
GREY LAG GOOSE. 
The Grey Lag I believe to be the only species of Goose which has 
been in the habit of spending the breeding-season in Great Britain, 
formerly in great numbers in the southern part of the island, and 
even still not having quite deserted the extreme north. During 
several seasons I have made particular enquiries of the most com- 
petent persons at those breeding-places in Sutherlandshire where 
the Bean-Goose had been said to be found, and the descriptions of 
the only kind of Goose known by them to breed in the country have 
always been referable to the Grey Lag. Everywhere I examined the 
bird with a glass, and in several instances shot specimens, and all I 
saw or obtained were Grey Lag. Iam assured by one of Mr. Selby’s 
party [Mr. James Wilson wt infra] that they only got a young bird 
or so, which may have been wrongly named. The Messrs. Milner 
[Zool. 1848, pp. 2014-2017] did not get a Goose on the mainland, 
and all they found in the Western Islands were Grey Lag [tom. cit. 
pp. 2055, 2061]. Mr. St. John, in his ornithological tour, only met 
with Grey Lag [Tour in Sutherlandshire, i. pp. 35, 36]. The very 
man on whom the Messrs. Milner relied [Ross, of Tongue (infra 
p- 507, note) |, told me he only knew one kind of Goose, and he 
described to me the Grey Lag. Mr. St. John was much led by 
a man of very superficial knowledge of birds who travelled with him. 
He was the authority for the Bean-Goose breeding on Loch Shin, 
where I found only Grey Lag, and in several instances I have found 
this man not entirely worthy of credit, I mean Mr. St. John’s 
companion. 
The Grey Lag-Goose chooses various kinds of places for its nest. 
I have seen in Sutherlandshire nests in the open moors, but not very 
