316 OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



that of the bean goose. The bill is pink, the 

 nail black; the legs and feet are also pink. In 

 length it measures twenty-eight inches. 



The snow goose is a rare visitor. It is the 

 only variety which is white. The bill, legs, and 

 feet are red. It is twenty-three inches in length. 

 An instance is recorded of its having been domes- 

 ticated and crossed with the common tame goose. 



The red-breasted goose may be described as 

 a very rare visitor to this country. It is a small 

 goose, measuring but twenty-two inches in length. 

 The very few specimens of this bird which have 

 been obtained have been from no one particular 

 part of the country. Its plumage is peculiar, 

 and Colonel Irby briefly describes it as follows : 

 * Fore part of chest and sides of neck, brick-red ; 

 white patch between the eye and the bill.' This 

 description is sufficient for its identification, and 

 so will serve the present purpose, and one more 

 full and detailed would be too lengthy. I may, 

 however, add that the fore part of the neck, the 

 upper breast, and the ears, are red ; the crown, 

 the back part of the neck, and from below the 

 eyes to the gullet and the back of the neck, are 

 black, the division between the several portions 

 being outlined with white ; there is also a peculiar 

 patch of white between the eye and the base of 

 the bill ; the upper parts are blackish, the belly 

 white, the lower breast black ; the bill, legs, and 

 feet dark brown. 



The brent goose is the commonest variety we 



