HOW TO KNOW THE BIRDS 



By the REV. MAURICE C. H. BIRD, M.A., M.B.O.U. 



THE SWIMMERS— I 



THE ]\Ioorhen and Coot, last referred 

 to, form the connecting links 

 bet\\'een the Waders and Swimmers. 

 Foremost among the swimmers are the 

 Geese — large birds, with oval-shaped 

 bodies, long necks, and short, stout beaks, 

 tipped with a distinct nail, the varying 

 colour of which in the different species 

 is, in some cases, an aid to identification. 

 The strong beak, high at the 

 base and rapidlj' falling away 

 to the flattened-out ex- 

 tremity, is well adapted for 

 cropping vegetation. The 

 wings are long and powerful, 

 and the legs, placed well 

 under the centre of the 

 body, afford ease in walk- 

 ing. All the Geese are gre- 

 garious, visiting us only in 

 winter, and then chiefly seen 

 — except by those who follow 

 them for sport — whilst flying 

 high up in the air from one 

 feeding-ground to another. 

 They proceed either in V- 

 shaped formation or in an 

 irregular line in which each 

 individual keeps at an even 

 distance from its neighbour. The leader 

 drops to the rear when tired with the 

 extra exertion of cleaving the air for its 

 followers. 



On the wing. Geese are unmistakably 

 larger than Ducks, and may be distin- 

 guished at a distance from the larger Gulls 

 by their more rapid and heavier flight, 

 long, outstretched necks, shorter tails, and 

 larger bodies in proportion to tlic wing- 

 spread. They may be divided into Black 

 and Grey Geese. The former are practic- 

 ally sea-birds, whilst the latter jMocure 

 their food — grass and the blades of young 

 corn — from the marshes and uplands. 



All species are shy and wary, and seldom 

 feed without leaving a sentinel on guard. 

 Although the Black Geese, Brent and 

 Bernacle, are probably only likely to 

 come under the notice of many of my 

 readers when hanging up on the poulterer's 

 stall, yet a few remarks upon them may 

 perhaps prove acceptable. The Brent is 

 the commoner of the two Black Geese, 



// 'ebster, XciccastU-on- Tyne. 



HOOPER SWAN. 



and it is also the smallest British Goose — 

 only about 21 inches in length ; the 

 Bernacle is some 4 inches longer. At first 

 sight the Brent appears to be quite black, 

 but at close quarters adult birds show an 

 irregular white neck-ring, and have a 

 white patch under the tail. The Bernacle 

 chiefly occurs on the west, whilst the 

 Brent prefers the east side of our coast ; 

 has head, neck, and throat black, with 

 white cheeks. The back is lavender- 

 grey barred with black and white, and 

 the under parts are grey and white. 

 The legs and feet are black in both species. 

 Of the Grey Geese, the White-fronted 



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