98 SHOOTING IN CHINA 



coverts, to say nothing of its very conspicious 

 white face and the broad black bars which 

 cross the belly. (Newton) . It is what may 

 be called an inland goose for it is found 

 throughout the breadth of China. Towards 

 evening it makes for the open waters where 

 it congregates in enormous gaggles as may 

 be witnessed by any who pay a visit to the 

 margins of the Hangchow Bay, the Great 

 South Lake, or any similar broad waters. 



In the early morning it seeks its food on 

 the stubble, on the ploughed land, amongst 

 the younger winter wheat and in the bean 

 fields. It is a greedy feeder, and so intent 

 is it on this question of food that it often 

 may be very closely approached. The usual 

 plan adopted is for the gunner to walk as 

 unconcernedly towards the flock as possible, 

 and when it begins to show uneasiness to 

 run in twenty or thirty yards, select his bird 

 and fire. To shoot into the " brown " of 

 geese is about as useless as firing into teal 

 on the water. Weight from eight to ten 

 pounds. 



The Bean Goose (Anser segetum) is to 

 be found in great numbers in the estuary 

 of the Yangtze and the upper reaches of the 

 river, and wherever there may be broad 



