144 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Geese The Bean Goose The White-fronted Goose The Greylag- 

 Brent and Bernicle The Pink-footed Canada and Egyptian 

 Geese The Snow Goose. 



WILD-GEESE, of which five species may be encoun- 

 tered by the fowler in Ireland, may be dealt with 

 separately, since their habits are so different. 



In severe frost, Geese are less local in their 

 haunts. In such weather they are found straggling 

 to places where they were before almost unknown. 

 Even the Brent, exclusively a coast species, I have 

 seen far up a tidal river close to a town. 



The Bean and Brent Geese are easily tamed. 

 A slightly wounded bird is well worth bringing 

 home as a pet. I have kept and seen several, and 

 whatever it may be, whether dog, bird, or even 

 child, the captive will always evince an affection in 

 some way or another. A friend of mine owned a 

 tamed Brent and a fox, that were the best of friends, 

 and slept in the same kennel ! 



Geese, like Swans, are slow in taking wing, either 

 from land or water, and give more or less notice of 

 their intentions previous to flying. They stretch 

 the neck, cackle loudly, run along the ground, ere 

 they can rise ; and beat the surface with their wings 

 if on the water. 



They always appear to have a sentry on duty, 



