230 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



generally take the form of a V when flying in flocks or small 

 parties. 



Nest. The Grey Lag-Goose is a somewhat early breeder, 

 nesting in March in Germany, and in Scandinavia in May. 

 The nest is a large, roughly-made structure, composed of dead 

 reeds, grass, and sedge, with sometimes a stick or two added. 

 Mr. Seebohm says that the nest is often a foot high and a yard 

 across, and "in cold climates is generally lined with moss, to 

 which down is added, as the eggs are laid." 



Eggs. From five to six in number ; pure white, but soon 

 getting discoloured to a creamy-white, some of the eggs appear- 

 ing also to be naturally of a dirty yellowish-white colour. 

 Axis, 3'25-3'55 inches; diam., 2-1-2-55. 



II, THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. ANSER ALBIFRONS. 



Branta albifrons. Scop. Ann. I. Hist. Nat. p. 69, No. 87 



(1769). 

 Anscr albifrons, Macg. Br. B. iv. p. 609 (1852); Dresser, B. 



Eur. vi. p. 375, pi. 414 (1878); B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 



116 (1883) ; Saunders, ed. Yarr. Br. B. iv. p. 261 (1885) ; 



Seebohm, Br. B. iii. p. 505 (1885); Saunders, Man. Br. 



B. p. 387 (1889) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. pt. x. (1889); 



Salvad. Cat, B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 92 (1895). 



(Plate LI V.-] 



Adult Male. General colour above resembling that of A. 

 anser, but darker, especially as regards the lower back and 

 rump, which are dark slaty-grey, instead of light bluish-grey ; 

 the grey on the wings is also darker than in A. anser, and the 

 outer greater coverts especially are greyer, with broader white 

 margins ; a white mask extends from the base of the mandible 

 across the forehead, but does not reach to the line of the eyes 

 and is separated from the brown of the head and face by a 

 shade of black ; under surface of body as in A. anser, but 

 much more extensively marked with black ; bill orange-yellow, 

 with a white nail at the tip ; feet and toes orange ; iris dark 

 brown. Total length, 30*0 inches ; culmen, 175; wing, i6 f o; 

 tail, 6-0 ; tarsus, 2-65. 



