BEAN-GOOSE. 495 



ice-sheet. The migrations of Bean-Geese set in in earnest, flock after 

 flock followed every few minutes, winging their way northwards at a 

 great speed. At first the flocks which passed over flew at a considerable 

 height, apparently anxious to see as far ahead as possible, and careful 

 not to miss any open water that might be visible at a distance ; but when 

 the thaw had commenced, they flew low, many skimming over the 

 surface of the snow on the ice of the river, below the level of the forests, 

 but most of them hugging the shore-line. I discovered a niche tn the mud- 

 cliffs where it was easy to lie concealed; but the Geese came tearing down 

 like the wind upon me, as Grouse in a drive, so that before the rush of 

 their wings had penetrated the ear they were out of shot beyond me. 

 A good shot might have made a great bag, but after dropping one out of 

 a small flock which passed at my side I gave up the sport, having identified 

 the species, and being anxious not to lose the chance of securing other 

 species of birds which were constantly arriving on the bare ground near 

 our winter-quarters. Few scenes are more exciting than the great rush 

 of migration which takes place, as soon as the south wind has van- 

 quished winter for the season, in these northern latitudes. The great 

 number of birds which are continually passing, the new species constantly 

 arriving, the cries of many of the birds as they pass over, the march back- 

 wards and forwards of thousands of acres of pack-ice and ice-floes, the 

 budding of the spring flowers one by one on the bare slopes of the river- 

 banks where the snow .has melted away, all combine to form a picture which 

 is indelibly engraven on the memory of every one who has been fortunate 

 enough to witness the scene. 



The Bean-Goose is an early breeder, beginning to make its rude nest 

 almost before the snow is melted, early in June. The islands in the delta 

 where we found the Swans breeding have no charms for the Geese, for the 

 sufficient reason that when the Geese begin to breed the islands are under 

 water with thousands of acres of pack-ice and ice-floes marching over 

 them. The Bean-Goose repairs to the lakes on the tundra, and chooses a 

 hillock on the bank or an islet in the lake itself where the rushes and sedge 

 are tall enough to conceal the sitting bird. A slight hollow is scraped in 

 the soil and lined with dead grass, moss, sometimes a few feathers, and 

 always plenty of the light grey down of the bird itself. The number of 

 eggs was generally three, but often four. They are creamy white in colour, 

 with a rough granular texture and very little gloss. They are almost 

 always decidedly more rounded at one end than at the other. They vary 

 in length from 3*4 to 3'0 inch, and in breadth from 2'2 to 2'1 inch. The 

 largest eggs of the Bean-Goose are as large or larger than the smallest eggs 

 of the Grey Goose, but they may be distinguished at once by their weight. 

 The smallest egg of the Grey Goose weighs more than two sovereigns ; the 

 largest egg of the Bean-Goose scarcely weighs a sovereign and a half. 



