THE BRANT GOOSE. 199 



differ, also, from the other geese in their mode of flight ; 

 the latter fly in regular order, generally in form of a V, 

 sometimes in a string ; but brant fly in a confused, irre- 

 gular mass, and give one the idea that each and every 

 bird is hurrying on to try and overtake his neighbour, and 

 vying with the rest as to who can make most noise. I 

 have heard a flock of brant compared to a pack of hounds 

 in full cry ; and, if I don't mistake, they are called 

 " beagle geese " in some parts of the world. They arrive 

 in Prince Edward Island from the south early in April, 

 and remain till the middle of June. They return again 

 in the middle of September, and remain till the beginning 

 of December. It will thus be seen that all their breed- 

 ing operations have to be got over in about three months' 

 time, and on their return in the fall of the year there 

 is hardly any perceptible difference between the young 

 and old birds. This is the more remarkable as they 

 hatch very far in the north (I am told in the remotest 

 parts of Hudson's Bay). They certainly do not hatch, 

 like the geese and most of the duck tribe, in the more 

 accessible parts of Labrador. 



In the months of May and June the pot-hunters 

 make great slaughter among brant in the following way. 

 In the falling tide the birds are fond of resting on the 

 bare mud flats, where they stand preening their fea- 

 thers. The pot-hunter chooses a favourite resort of the 

 birds, and sinks a half-puncheon in the mud as a hide. 

 Inside this he takes his seat when the tide commences 

 to ebb. If the extent of bar left bare at low water is 

 too large for a compact family shot, he constructs a ridge 

 of mud or sand running directly end on to his hide. This 



