SWIMMING BIRDS. Brant 



Season : Familiar winter resident, but most common in the fall mi- 

 gration, when numbers remain until very cold weather, and 

 return all through the early spring. 



Breeds : Chiefly northward, but sometimes in the northern United 

 States. 



Range : Temperate North America, south in winter to Mexico. 



This Wild Goose, even when only seen casually, is easily 

 identified by its great size, being almost ' twice as large as 

 the Brant, the only other common species. Its distinctive 

 mark, other than size, is a broad, white band that extends 

 like a handkerchief folded cornerwise under its chin and 

 tied on the top of its head. 



The flight of the Goose is heavy, but very impressive. 

 Geese usually form in two columns, meeting in front on 

 either side of the experienced leader, forming a wedge. In 

 the late autumn of 1892, I saw this flock-formation take 

 place near Weston Mill Pond shortly before dark. The 

 Geese arose in a straggling column from some cat-tail flags, 

 in what, to me, seemed the greatest state of confusion, but 

 before they had gone a hundred feet the line had divided 

 into the wedge shape, though it was rather irregular. The 

 honking call seemed to come from several individuals, and 

 not from the leader alone. 



Upon other occasions I have seen small flocks fly over the 

 meadows in almost a straight line. The honking of Geese 

 is a strange, unbird-like sound, and when they pass over at 

 night and you hear the fanning of their wings it seems as 

 if some sleeping cloud-goblin had awaked himself with a 

 sudden snore. As these Geese feed mainly upon vegetable 

 food their flesh is good, and they are perpetually harried 

 by gunners. 



Brant : Branta bernicla. 



PLATE XIV. FIG. 5. 



Length : About 24 inches. 



Male and Female : Head, neck, shoulders, and upper breast dark ash, 

 white patch on each side of the neck. Back with a brownish 

 267 



