DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 231 



The nest is made early in June, amongst the tall 

 grass and sedge of an islet on one of the tundra 

 lakes, or on rising ground on the bank, and is 

 merely a hollow, into which is gathered a little dry 

 grass and a quantity of down from the body of the 

 parent. In this nest three or four creamy- white 

 eggs are laid. As soon as the young are half- 

 grown, the Bean Geese begin to collect into flocks 

 again, and to complete their moult. Like other 

 Geese, at this time they are very helpless, being 

 incapable of flight, as the quills drop out suddenly, 

 and nearly all together. 



Allusion must here be made to the Pink-footed 

 Goose, the Anser brackyrhynchus of Baillon, long 

 confounded with the Bean Goose, and perhaps only 

 sub-specifically distinct from it. As pointed out by 

 Mr. Cecil Smith, the characters mainly depended 

 upon to distinguish this bird from the Bean Goose 

 pink legs and central portion of the bill are not 

 constant ; but this may be due to accidental re- 

 version. A more important difference, because 

 apparently constant, is the bluish-gray colour of the 

 upper wing coverts. These, however, are questions 

 that do not come within the scope of the present 

 volume, and must be left to the more advanced 

 students of birds. The Pink-footed Goose is a 

 tolerably common winter visitor to our islands, 

 especially to the eastern districts. Its habits are 

 not known to differ in any important respect. But 

 little is known of its habits during the breeding 



