230 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



distinguished from the two preceding Geese by the 

 colour of its bill, which has only the central portion 

 orange-yellow, the base and the nail being black. 

 This species arrives in our area during October and 

 November. It is gregarious during winter, congre- 

 gating in flocks of varying size, which wander 

 about considerably, influenced by the exigencies of 

 the weather and the supply of food. These gather- 

 ings are difficult to approach. During the day the 

 Bean Geese come inland to search for their food, 

 on the stubbles and newly-sown grain lands. A 

 long-continued frost will keep them to the coast ; 

 but during spells of open, yet rough and stormy 

 weather, they prefer to remain in inland haunts, 

 from which, however, they soon depart at the sign 

 of a coming frost. When feeding, Bean Geese 

 generally station sentinels to guard the flock by 

 giving timely notice of the approach of an enemy. 

 Their food consists of grass, grain, tender shoots of 

 grain, and the roots of various plants. During night, 

 when they are certainly more easily approached, 

 they repair to sand banks and low islands, or to 

 the open sea, where they sleep and preen their 

 feathers. This Goose swims well, but rises from 

 water in a somewhat laboured manner. Its note is 

 the familiar gag-gag, variously modulated according 

 to circumstances. 



The Bean Goose breeds on the Arctic tundras, 

 beyond or near the limits of forest growth, across 

 Europe and Asia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 



