406 TEN YEARS IN SWEDEN. 



for a swan-hopping on a large scale, off Falsterbo, about the 

 8th of August. I cannot think that they are all bred here, 

 and it appears singular that they should migrate north from 

 more easterly lands. Are the tame swans ever seen in a 

 wild state off the British coasts in winter ? 



Gen. Anser.j Briss. Geese. 



Beak shorter than the head; nail occupies the whole 

 point of the beak ; nostrils oblong ; neck shorter than the 

 body; the windpipe is single ; sexes exactly alike in plumage. 

 They moult once in the year, and the summer plumage is 

 like that of winter; side lamellaa in the beak apparent. 



1 . Anser. 

 Beak as long as head. 



250. ANSER CINEEEUS, Mey. Gra, Gas. The Grey Lag 



Goose. D. F. 



Beak large and thick,, reddish yellow, with a whitish 

 nail; legs pale flesh-colour; the closed wings 1 in. 

 shorter than the tail; length 2 ft. 9 in.; tarsus 3-^ 

 in. ; beak from forehead 3 in. at the root, 1-^ in. high, 

 1^- in. broad; colour above ash grey; breast paler; 

 upper and under tail coverts, as well as the rump, 

 white. 



I never could find out exactly where the common wild 

 goose bred in Scandinavia, but it certainly does not go up 

 to breed in Lapland. Sommerfeldt, however, says they breed 

 off Tromsoe, on the north-west coast of Norway. A few may, 

 but my opinion is, that most of them breed in the eastern 

 districts, for I have obtained the egg more than once there, 

 but I never could, during the breeding season, hear of or 

 see the bird in Lapland, or near us in the middle of 

 Sweden. 



251. A. SEQETUM, Gnab. Sad Gas. The Bean Goose. 



Beak long, black, with a yellow band (paler but 

 apparent in the young birds) on the upper mandible 

 just behind the nail ; legs reddish yellow ; wings gene- 



