OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 317 



Family ANATIDJE. Genus ANSEB. 



Subfamily A NSERIN&. 



BEAN GOOSE. 



ANSEE SEGETUM (Gmelin). 



Anas fabalis, Latham, Gen. Syn. Suppl. i. p. 297 (1787). 

 Anas segetum, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 512 (1788). 



Anser segetum (Gmel.), Macgill. Brit. B. iv. p. 595(1852); Dresser, B. Eur. vi. p. 

 363, pi. 412 (1879) ; Yarrell, Brit. B. ed. 4, iv. p. 265 (1885) ; Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. 

 iii. p. 493 (1885) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Brit. B. pt. xxvi. (1893) ; Dixon, Nests and 

 Eggs Non-indig. Brit. B. p. 148 (1894) ; Seebohm, Col. Fig. Eggs Brit. B. p. 30, 

 pi. 8 (1896). 



Anser fabalis (Lath.), Salvador!, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 99 (1895) ; Sharpe, 

 Handb. B. Gt. Brit. ii. p. 232 (1896). 



Geographical distribution British: The Bean Goose is a common 

 visitor on spring and autumn migration, most abundant during the latter, but 

 great numbers remain to winter in our Islands. It is not known to breed in any 

 part of the British area, although widely dispersed on the mainland of Scotland 

 and some of the adjoining islands, but only a straggler to the Orkney and Shet- 

 land Islands, and on the Outer Hebrides it appears to be quite unknown. In 

 England it is most frequent on the southern and western coasts south of Lanca- 

 shire, becoming rarer on the east ; whilst in Ireland it appears to be generally 

 distributed and abundant, but less common on the southern coast than the 

 White-fronted Goose. Foreign : Northern and, at high elevations, central 

 Palsearctic region ; southern Palsearctic region in winter. Accidental in Iceland. 

 It breeds in Scandinavia north of lat. 64, in North Eussia as low as Archangel, in 

 the delta of the Petchora, on Kolguev, Waigats, and Nova Zembla, in the valley of 

 the Yenisei above forest growth, and southwards on the mountains of the Baikal 

 district, eastwards to the Stanavoi Mountains, and the Arctic tundras of Eastern 

 Siberia northwards to the coast. It passes Europe south of the limits already 

 given to winter on both shores of the Mediterranean (with the exception of 

 North-east Africa) ; but in mild winters many remain on the coasts of Denmark 

 and France, and more rarely those of Spain, whilst it has been known accidentally 

 to wander as far south as Madeira. Vast numbers also winter in the south of 

 Eussia and in the basin of the Caspian. Further east it passes South-west 



