ANATULE. 217 



not only a nutritious food, but the greater part of the down 

 which contributes so greatly to his comfort and luxury. 



THE BEAN GOOSE. Anser segetum. The Bean Goose 

 visits the southern parts of our island in autumn, but does 

 not breed there, frequenting for that purpose more northern 

 latitudes. It does however incubate in the Hebrides, we 

 believe, and upon the lochs of Sutherlandshire. On Loch 

 Laighal from thirty to forty pairs have been reported to 

 breed annually, and here the nests are described as placed 

 near each other on the small islands, often near the shore, 

 and among heather at least three feet in length. The eggs, 

 which are white, are from five to seven in number. 



THE GREY LAG GOOSE. Anser ferns. This is a rarer 

 species than the last in the British Islands, and does not 

 breed with us. It is distinguishable from the last bird by 

 its larger size, the different colour of the feet (which in the 

 former are orange-yellow, but here a livid greyish-pink), by 

 the white nail of the bill, contrasted with the black of the 

 former, and other minor differences. In his visit to the 

 North, Mr. Hewitson met with a nest of this bird, built 

 upon one of the numerous small islands of the Norwegian 

 sea : it was constructed of coarse, dry grass, and thickly 

 lined with feathers. The eggs, which closely resemble those 



