168 SHOOTING THE GOOSE 



accord, and as the distant crowd of black-looking 

 specks approaches nearer, and their first faint cries, 

 strongly resembling the humming of millions of bees, 

 strike on the ear, their flight is seen to take definite 

 shape, and to consist of broken lines of geese in 

 chain-like formation, each group of birds following at 

 regular intervals behind the preceding detachments. 

 After wheeling round two or three times, uttering 

 their hoarse, discordant notes, they will, perhaps, 

 finally alight on some favourite ooze banks, where, 

 after one look around, they forthwith commence 

 breakfast. Now and again when flying up harbour 

 the presence of an intruder or some suspicious object 

 on their feeding-grounds may necessitate a change 

 in their plans, in which case the rear ranks will 

 open outwards; as if at the word of command, and 

 allow the leading birds and each troop in its turn 

 to pass through the middle on the return journey. 

 These aerial movements are executed with mar- 

 vellous precision and an entire absence of all 

 confusion. 



In some places where the mudflats are level, and 

 the creeks, being few, afford no cover for the prowling 

 gunner, brent may often be found sitting high and 

 dry on the mud at low water ; but I think they 

 prefer, as a rule, to feed on the shallows, where they 



