232 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



season. The nest is said to be made on low rocks 

 near the sea, or on higher cliffs in the fjords some 

 distance inland. The four or five eggs are creamy- 

 white. 



BRENT GOOSE. 



The " Black" Geese differ in many important 

 respects from their allies the " Gray " Geese, and 

 are generally separated from them under the 

 scientific terms of Bernicla or Branta. These 

 birds are characterised by their short, sub-conical 

 bills, in which the lamellae are concealed, or nearly 

 so, and by the general dark colour of the plumage, 

 relieved by white, or, in some cases, various strongly- 

 contrasted colours. Two species are British, in the 

 sense of visiting us during winter. The first of 

 these the Brent Goose the Anser brent a of Brisson, 

 and the Bernicla brenta of modern naturalists is 

 by far the most common and widely distributed of 

 the Geese in our islands, but it exclusively confines 

 itself to the sea. It may be met with off almost all 

 parts of our coast-line, but is most abundant along 

 the east and south. The adult bird may readily be 

 distinguished by the general black colouration of the 

 breast and upper parts, relieved by small white 

 patches on the sides of the neck, the pale margins 

 to the wing coverts and mantle, and the white upper 

 tail coverts. The lower parts below the breast are 

 dark slate-gray, many of the feathers having paler 

 margins. Young birds, however, do not display the 

 white neck patches. The Brent Goose is seldom 



