42 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



stubble, where they would be comparatively safe from the 

 gun of the fowler. 



I never saw this species of wild goose till I went to Islay. 

 I find that the first year's bird has none of the distinguishing 

 marks of the white-fronted goose. There is no white on the 

 head, and there are no black feathers on the breast. The 

 breast is in fact white. Year by year the black feathers seem 

 to multiply, forming first in bars, and these widening till the 

 breast becomes wholly black. 



Mr Charles St John, a well-known field naturalist, writing 

 from personal observation on the habits of wild geese generally, 

 states in one of his works that, having managed to approach a 

 flock of geese unperceived, he always gave a low whistle or 

 made some slight noise, which caused the birds to run to- 

 gether, and so offer him a better shot. Now, my experience 

 is, that no species of wild goose ever stirs a foot when ren- 

 dered anxious or alarmed. They all strike up their heads, 

 and stand motionless, listening and gazing intently, and, no 

 doubt, exercising their strong powers of scent as well. Then, 

 when they are certain of danger, they spring at once, nearly 

 perpendicularly, into the air, with considerable exertion of 

 wing no doubt, but still far from slowly. 



Just as I have each year reluctantly to leave Islay (at the 

 beginning of November), the woodcocks begin to arrive in 

 numbers. Some are very plump and fat, and do not seem 

 tired. Others are thin, and are at first so weak as to be 

 capable of short flights only. They, no doubt, come from 

 very various distances. But whether they come chiefly from 

 the south, the north, or the centre of Europe, or from all of 

 these regions, they must fly across the whole of Great Britain 

 before reaching the west coast of Scotland, or, I may add, 

 any part of Ireland. It is impossible that they can rest their 

 weary wings even for an hour on any part of the east coast 

 of Great Britain, as the arrival of the flights would be eagerly 

 watched for, and quickly ascertained by hundreds of ardent 

 sportsmen. It seems to follow, then, that the great bulk of 

 the woodcocks which visit us from other countries, disdain to 

 rest till they have reached the districts their instinct tells 

 them to select for their winter abode. 



