THE BRENT GOOSE. 155 



and remained in that locality during the frost. My 

 informant knows the Bean Goose well, and stated 

 that these were much bigger and taller birds. 

 Others who saw them remarked on their unusual 

 size and light plumage. 



When birds that are local inland are driven to the 

 coast by severe weather, they gather in small parties 

 and shift their quarters in company. They then fly 

 low over the land and rest on the way. I f migrating, 

 they act differently. When sailing out of sight of 

 shore, in the spring or autumn, I have seen geese 

 and swans flying at such a height, that the two 

 species could not be told apart without a powerful 

 glass. Were ducks to fly so high (perhaps they do) 

 when on passage, they could not be seen. It is only 

 on dark nights, and especially wet hazy ones, that 

 birds when migrating descend and drop on shore, or 

 come in contact with the glass of the lighthouses. 



THE BRENT GOOSE (Anser bernicla] is the small- 

 est of its tribe, and presents a black and grey 

 appearance both on land and water. In many parts 

 of Ireland, and notably at Tralee, Wexford, Bel- 

 fast, and the northern marine loughs, it is mis- 

 named the Bernicle ; in other localities the true 

 Bernicle (Anser leucopsis] is called the " Land 

 Bernicle," and the Brent the " Sea Bernicle." 

 Owing to this confusion they cannot, from report, 

 be with certainty identified. The Brent Goose 

 feeds entirely on the sea-grass, or Zostera maritima. 

 The other lives on the short wet herbage which 

 abounds in tidal marshes, on reclaimed land, bogs 

 and sand flats, and is oftenest found within sight of 

 the tide. This species, according to Mr. Ussher, 



