CHAPTER XXIII. 



THE GEESE AND METHODS OF CAPTUBING THEM. 



THE Grey-Lag, or Wild Goose (Grd-Gds, or Grey-Goose, 

 Sw. ; Anser ferus, Steph.) was common with us during 

 spring and fall, both in the vicinity of Ronnum, and in the 

 neighbouring Skargard. None of these birds, however, bred, 

 I believe, in our part of Sweden. It is true that I have seen 

 small flocks amongst the islands on the coast, about, or a 

 few days after, Midsummer; but, as M. von Wright, who 

 has there noticed similar flocks, observes, " They probably 

 consisted entirely of males that had been unable to mate 

 themselves ; for as well amongst geese, as almost all other 

 birds, especially aquatics, the males are much more numerous 

 than females." Yarrell, on the authority of Mr. Dann, 

 states that : " On the inlets (query islets ?) and islands from 

 Bergen northwards, this goose is not uncommon during the 

 summer, particularly about Hitteren, where they are tolerably 

 numerous early in August, and one of our party shot one 

 there, which proved to be a very large gander." 



