GRAY LAG-GOOSE. BEAN GOOSE. 187 



years of that time, having in one year known as many as 

 five to have been obtained, and after that an interval of some 

 years to elapse before their re-occurrence. 



In Mr. Thompson's work we find an interesting notice of a 

 colony of these birds, which were introduced some 120 years 

 since on a lake at Castlecoole, county of Fermanagh, and 

 where, since that time, they have preserved their original 

 habits, nidifying and rearing their brood with all the habits 

 of wild birds, and at times so numerous, that during some 

 years they have numbered as many as 100. 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



SPECIES 180 THE BEAN GOOSE. 



Anser segetum. Gmelin. 

 Oie vulgaire ou sauvage. Temm. 



Wild Goose. 



SMALLER in size than the gray -lag, this species appears to be 

 rather widely distributed over the island, and is one of the 

 earliest of the family in making its appearance with us. 



Rare in its occurrence in Scotland, the pink-footed goose 

 (a species which as yet has not occurred in Ireland) appears 

 to have taken its place, a matter of considerable surprise to 

 the ornithologist, when we remember that the bean goose, in 

 its migrations to and from Ireland, in all probability passes 

 over a considerable portion of Scotland. 



Appearing at the commencement of winter in small flocks, 

 we at times discern them flying in the vicinity of Dublin Bay, 

 and during severe winters remaining the entire season in its 

 neighbourhood. Having observed many specimens shot 

 during various winters along the range of the Dublin moun- 

 tains, we conjecture that they remain there during the day, 

 and on the approach of evening take up some station in the 

 Bay of Dublin. However, the principal and well-ascertained 

 haunts of the bean goose are the bogs of the interior, which 

 afford them both a cover and a protection from the gun of 

 the sportsman. From these situations they sally on the ap- 

 proach of twilight in long lines, clamorously calling in their 

 flight towards the vicinity of young planted fields of wheat 

 or oats existing in their neighbourhood, where they sometimes 

 commit considerable depredations and injury to the crop. 



In severe weather they frequent live springs, or drains not 

 hardened by the intensity of the frost, where they are ob- 

 tained by lying in wait for their appearance, and at times so 



