264 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS. 



Several other telegrams also confirmed the above dates of the 

 re-opening of the waters. 



The departure of the Geese coincided precisely with these 

 dates. Large flights left our coast on March 23, and still 

 greater numbers on the 24th, many others doubtless leaving 

 during the night. On the 25th and 26th the remainder 

 almost all took their departure, arid of the tens of thousands 

 which arrived here on March 2, hardly two score remained 

 on April 1. The Geese when last seen were steering due 

 east, and very high, mounting higher in the air as they went. 



The Wigeon disappeared during the latter part of the month, 

 and by the 25th were nearly all gone. Swans occurred 

 three times in March. In addition to those already mentioned 

 as passing on the 3rd, five others arrived on the 27th, and 

 remained several days, and on the 31st six more passed to 

 the northwards. These three occurrences are all that have 

 been seen on this part of the coast during the winter. It 

 will thus be observed that, after one of the worst fowling 

 winters on record, the most abundant sport was obtainable 

 (with exclusively foreign fowl) in March, at the very season 

 when some non-practical theorists would have us believe 

 that all wildfowl require protection. 



Later in the year, by a curious coincidence, I had another 

 opportunity of observing the movements of the Brent Geese. 

 I left England for Norway on May 25th, and early on the 

 morning of the 27th, the Norway coast in sight, distant 

 fifteen miles, we saw far astern, an immense body of Geese 

 on the wing, looking at the distance like a small cloud over 

 the sea. They rapidly overhauled us, though our steamer 

 was making eleven knots under steam and canvas, and 

 passed outside her, heading due North. There were many 

 thousands of them in long straggling skeins, and at the speed 

 they were travelling (say thirty or forty knots) would reach 

 Spitzbergen in about forty-eight hours that is on one of 

 the last days of May exactly the date when they are due 

 there ! 



The two months which had elapsed since leaving our 

 British coasts on March 26th, the Geese had evidently 

 spent in North-Continental waters or Danish sounds. 



