272 NATATORES. ANSER. BRENT GOOSE- 



Periodical THIS species is, like the preceding one, a winter visitant ; 

 inhabiting the oozy bays and shores of the eastern and 

 southern coasts of the kingdom, where a supply of the ma- 

 rine vegetable food upon which it subsists is principally 

 produced. Upon the Northumbrian coast a very large body 

 of these birds annually resorts to the extensive muddy and 

 sandy flats that lie between the mainland and Holy Island, 

 and which are covered by every flow of the tide. In this 

 locality tolerably sized flocks usually make their appearance 

 in the early part of October, which are increased by the re- 

 peated arrival of others till the beginning of November, at 

 which time the equatorial movement of the species in this 

 latitude seems to be completed. This part of the coast ap- 

 pears to have been a favourite resort of these birds from 

 time immemorial, where they have always received the name 

 of Ware Geese, given to them, without doubt, in consequence 

 of their food consisting entirely of marine vegetables. This 



Food. I have frequently verified by dissection ; finding the gizzard 

 filled with the leaves and stems of a species of grass that 

 grows abundantly in the shallow pools left by the tide, and 

 with the remains of the fronds of different algas, particularly 

 of one which seems to be the Laver (Ulva latissima). These 

 were mixed with a considerable quantity of sharp sand, but 

 without any portion of animal or shelly matter; although 

 WILSON states that they feed occasionally upon small uni- 

 valve and bivalve mollusca. In this haunt they remain till 

 the end of February, when they migrate in successive flocks, 

 as the individuals happen to be influenced by the season, 

 and before April the whole have disappeared. When they 

 depart, the same procedure as that mentioned by WILSON 

 (in his American Ornithology) takes place ; the flock about 

 to migrate rises high into the air by an extensive spiral 

 course, and then moves off seaward in a northerly direction. 

 When feeding (which they do at the ebb of the tide), or 

 moving from one place to another, they keep up a continual 

 hoarse cackling, or, as it is termed, honking noise, which can 



