516 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Northern Turkestan on migration to winter in the Caspian Sea. Else- 

 where its occurrence is only accidental. A stray example has been 

 obtained as far east as Irkutsk. There is no authentic instance of its 

 having occurred in Egypt beyond the fact that unmistakable figures of this 

 species have been found on some of the ancient Egyptian papyri. It has 

 occurred accidentally in every country in Europe except the Spanish 

 peninsula. 



The Red-breasted Goose is one of the rarest birds in collections, and 

 until recently examples in adult plumage were sold for as much as five 

 pounds each. It is, nevertheless, a very abundant species, and occurs 

 in such enormous numbers in its winter-quarters that thousands are sold 

 every year at prices varying from three halfpence to twopence halfpenny 

 each. The explanation of these extraordinary facts is to be found in its 

 extremely restricted range, which is more limited than that of almost 

 any other Palsearctic bird. There is no evidence that it has ever bred 

 west of the Ural Mountains, or as far east as the North-east Cape on 

 the Taimur peninsula. Middendorff found it breeding in some numbers 

 on the Boganida river, in long. 115, and heard of it as still more numerous 

 at the mouth of the Piasina river, ten degrees further west. I obtained 

 its eggs and saw broods of young with their parents about long. 105, and 

 Finsch saw flocks in autumn in long. 85. It is probable that it never 

 breeds more than three hundred miles from the coast. Small as this range 

 appears to be, it includes an area of a hundred and fifty thousand square 

 miles. The line of migration in autumn appears to be across the plains of 

 the Taz, which scarcely rise above the level of the sea, to the valley of the 

 Lower Obb, and thence up the valley of the Lower Irtish into that of the 

 Tobol. The sources of this river almost join those of the Ural, which 

 leads direct into the Caspian. Radde describes its great abundance in 

 winter on the islands near the south-west shores of the Caspian. After 

 a heavy fall of snow, the fishermen clear a space on the grassy islands and 

 often catch them in such numbers in nets, that they are sold at from five 

 to ten kopeks each. When they begin to collect before migration, thou- 

 sands of flocks are reported to be seen, and it is stated that the worst shots 

 obtain as many as two hundred birds during the season. When feeding 

 together they utter a short trumpet-like note ; but their cry as they call to 

 each other on migration is a double note, which Finsch says is easily imi- 

 tated by the aid of a bit of birch-bark, and which Pallas represents as 

 resembling the sound of the syllables shak-voy, whence its local name 

 amongst the Russian sportsmen of Obdorsk. It is an extremely shy bird 

 and very difficult to shoot, but, curiously enough, reconciles itself at once 

 ^confinement, and soon becomes very tame. 



Very little is known of the nesting-habits of the Red-breasted Goose, 

 which appears to be a late breeder. Middendorff obtained slightly incubated 



