GEESE. 



329 



species or variety, measuring only 28 inches in length, and characterised by the 

 middle portion of the beak being generally pinkish, although sometimes orange- 

 yellow; while the feet are usually flesh-coloured. Breeding in Spitzbergen, 

 probably Iceland, and perhaps Novaia Zemlia, this small goose visits the British 

 Islands in great numbers during the winter, while it occurs rarely in Northern 

 India. The snow goose (A. hyperboreus), of which there is a large and small race, 

 belongs to a second group of the genus 1 characterised by the very stout and 

 slightly convex beak, and by the head and neck, or the whole plumage of the 

 adult, with the exception of the primaries, being entirely white. The snow goose 

 is one of those in which the primaries are black, and the rest of the plumage 

 white ; the smaller variety measuring 23 inches in length. Distributed over the 

 whole of North America, this essentially northern species probably has a circum- 

 polar distribution, and nests on the barren Arctic tundras, although but little is 

 known of its habits. Ross's goose (A. rossi) of north-western North America, is a 

 smaller form, with numerous caruncles at the base of its shorter beak ; while the 

 American blue- winged goose (A. ccerulescens) has a large portion of the plumage 

 of the body greyish brown, with bluish grey wing-coverts and rump. 



The true geese for the greater part of the year frequent marshes, 

 lakes, moors, or open plains, where there is water ; but during the 

 winter not uiifrequently seek the sea-coast. Their harsh "gaggling" notes are 

 among the most discordant of sounds; and although they associate in flocks 

 during the winter, and frequently also breed in company, each male has but a 

 single consort. The nest is of large size, with the numerous eggs of a creamy 

 white colour ; and both sexes take part in the work of incubation. In undisturbed 

 districts they feed during the day, but, when frequently fired at, their feeding- 

 hours are mostly nocturnal; shoots of young grass and corn forming their 

 favourite food. The snow goose, however, subsists largely on berries in the 

 summer. Writing of the grey-lag goose in India, Mr. Hume observes that when 

 not feeding, these birds " spend their time dozing or dawdling about on the margin 

 of some lake or the bank of some river, always by preference choosing some island 

 in these for their noontide siesta. Unless disturbed, they very rarely take to the 

 water. Although they rise rather awkwardly and slowly, with violent and rather 

 noisy flappings of their wings, they fly very strongly and easily when once off, 

 and I do not know a more beautiful sight than the sudden and rapid descent of a 

 large flock from high in the air to some sandbank. The flock comes along in 

 sober state, circles round decorously once or twice, and then suddenly down they 

 come with incredible rapidity, twisting and turning with an ease and grace for 

 which no one could at other times have given them credit." When passing from 

 one piece of water to another, they frequently fly in an irregular mass, but, when 

 journeying long distances, the flock generally ascends to a great height, and flies 

 either in a line or a chevron. During the winter in India these geese are 

 commonly seen in flocks of from thirty to a hundred, but at times a thousand or 

 more may be collected together. The grey-lag does not go so far north to breed 

 as the bean-goose ; and its northward, and sometimes also its southward migration, 

 is consequently earlier. The nest of the grey-lag is built of grass and flags, 



1 Frequently separated as a distinct genus Chen. 



