THE KED-BREASTED GOOSE. 317 



quills, the rump, and tail, are black. The rest of the upper 

 plumage is reddish ash colour, more or less mottled ; but the 

 upper and under tail-coverts, the vent feathers, and the belly, 

 are white. The same species is found in the northern parts 

 of the American continent, but it has not been ascertained 

 in what particular place, either of that or of the eastern con- 

 tinent, the greater numbers breed. The nest has, however, 

 been found in that dreary and marshy country (to which I 

 would again call the attention of Ornithologists) that lies in 

 the shore of the Northern Ocean, to the eastward of Cape 

 Rath, which establishes the fact of its being a native bird ; 

 and it is highly probable that a careful search of the same 

 district would add several others of the northern swimming 

 birds, and probably also of the marsh-breeding Grallse, to our 

 indigenous Fauna. 



The whole history of the geese, in their wild state, is 

 indeed imperfect and obscure ; we merely know them as 

 winter migrants, and probably in their winter plumage ; and 

 are, in a great measure, ignorant of their summer haunts, 

 their habits while breeding, and their moults and the changes 

 of their plumage. 



THE RED-BKEASTED GOOSE (AnSCT ru 



The red-breasted goose arrives so rarely in England, that 

 it can be considered only as a straggler. It is shorter and 

 thicker than the brent goose, and weighs nearly half a pound 

 more, if we can fairly estimate the average weight from the 

 few specimens that have been seen in this country. The bill 

 is brown, except the nail, which is dusky black, as are also the 

 feet. The front, immediately over the base of the bill, is 

 white ; there is a white spot between the bill and eyes, and a 

 white streak down each side of the neck, but with a tinge of 

 rust-colour in the middle. The top of the head is black, 

 which is continued in a narrow stripe between the white 



