BLACK BRANT 



109 



admirable order before observed, all is confusion and, seemingly in hope 

 of mutual protection, the frightened birds crowd into a mass over the 

 center of the flock, uttering, the while, their ordinary note raised in 

 alarm to a higher key. This is the sportsman's time, and a double dis- 

 charge as they are nearly overhead will often bring down from 4 to 10 

 birds. Scarcely have the reports died away when they once more glide 

 along close to the ground; the alarm is forgotten; order is again restored, 

 and the usual note is heard as they swiftly disappear in the distance." 



In Alaska the nest of this species is a depression in the moss or 

 grass near the lakes out in the tundra. Bent (1925) says: "The nests 



of this species are the most 

 beautiful nests I have ever 

 seen of any of the ducks and 

 geese; they are great, soft, 

 thick beds of pure, fluffy 

 down, unmixed with the tun- 

 dra rubbish so common in 

 nests of other species; the 

 down is a rich, handsome 

 shade of ... deep brownish 

 drab, flecked with whitish; it 

 must make a warm and luxu- 

 rious blanket to cover the 

 eggs." The Black Brant lays 

 from 4 to 8 eggs, but 5 seems 

 to be the commonest number; 

 they are olive buff, or cream 

 colour and average 2.80 by 

 1.87 inches. As is usual with 

 geese, the male stands ready 

 to guard the nest while the 

 female is incubating. Hoare, 

 quoted by Bent (1925), re- 

 lates that one summer he wit- 

 nessed a battle between a 

 male Black Brant and three gulls. The female was on the nest and did 

 not move. The gulls kept returning to the attack and were very 

 fierce. Usually they are cowardly. Eventually the Brant, although badly 

 mauled, drove them away. 



The main flight northward takes place in March and early April 

 and the birds arrive on their breeding grounds early in June. In the 

 autumn, migrating flocks pass through the Bering Sea during the last 

 half of September and the first half of October to reach the coasts of 

 California in October and November. 



