204 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XIV. 



mense flights of the bean goose arrive in the Find- 

 horn Bay. They come in, just about sunset, in four 

 or five large flocks, and an infinite quantity of 

 gabbling and chattering takes place for several 

 hours ; but by daybreak they seem to have deter- 

 mined on their respective beats, and separating 

 into smaller flocks disperse over the land, and do 

 not collect again in very numerous flocks until they 

 are about to leave that part of the country at the 

 end of April or the beginning of May. The wild- 

 geese decrease in number every year : the gray lag 

 goose is a very rare visitor to the oat-fields here, 

 although so many breed in Sutherlandshire. 



The woodcocks are more numerous at this time 

 of year in the larger woods than during any part 

 of the winter: they pair early, and have probably 

 before this time taken up their breeding quar- 

 ters. Those which breed abroad do not leave this 

 country till just before their time of laying. 

 I am much inclined to think that most birds 

 which migrate from us in the spring pair some 

 time before they take their departure. 



