GEESE AND GOOSE-LIKE BIROS. 205 



the last and the white of the breast, serve at once 

 to identify the Barnacle Goose. 



BRENT GOOSE 23 inches; head, neck, and cheat all 

 black, except small distinctive white patch at side of 

 neck ; general colour darker ; without the clear crow- 

 bars on the upper parts. 



COMMON SHELDRAKE. Plate 90. 25 inches. 

 The column formed by the head and neck marked 

 with three broad encircling bands, sharply defined at 

 their edges that of the head and upper neck glossy, 

 black-looking green ; that of the lower neck white ; 

 and the third band rich chestnut, encircling upper 

 back, shoulders, and chest ; body white, divided by 

 dark stripe passing along centre of breast and belly 

 to join chestnut patch beneath tail ; tail white, 

 tipped black; wings quartered top fore -quarter 

 black, lower fore -quarter white, top hind -quarter 

 chestnut, lower hind-quarter dark, this last including 

 green speculum -patch ; bill brilliant red ; legs and 

 feet pink. Resident. 



Eggs. 7-12, or even more, creamy- white ; 2 -7 5 x 

 1*9 inches (plate 130). 



Nest. Of grass or leaves, lined with feathers from 

 the bird itself, and placed at the extremity of a 

 rabbit-burrow. 



Distribution. General where suitable flat shores 

 and nesting-sites occur ; numbers greatly increased in 

 winter by migrants from the Continent 



With head and neck banded like sections on a 

 surveyor's pole, its wings quartered like a coat-of- 



