313 



THE BEAN GOOSE. 

 (Anser segetum.) 



THE Bean Goose visits us only in winter, for it breeds in- 

 the most northern portion of our hemisphere, whence it 

 is driven to our milder regions by the extreme cold of 

 winter. Here it waits for spring, then it hurries back to 

 its breeding place on the coasts of the Northern Ocean. 

 It lavs seven to ten white eggs in its simply-formed nest 

 in the inhospitable desolate land of its birth. When 

 obliged to leave the nest it carefully covers up the eggs 

 is order to preserve their warmth. 



These birds move southwards in great flocks towards, 

 autumn. Some of them come to us, and in many places 

 cover the fields in swarms, and in the case of their 

 settling constantly in the same places, they may do 

 considerable harm by nibbling, tearing up and trampling 

 over everywhere generally. 



When the winter is very severe here, and the seeds are 

 covered with a thick layer of snow, Geese go still further 

 south, some of them even crossing the Mediterranean ; 

 but they return directly the weather becomes milder. 

 From this comes the shepherd's prophecy : " When the 

 geese go south we may expect great cold ; when they 

 go north warmer weather is coming." The birds 

 assemble in great flocks, usually at the beginning of 

 March, if wind and weather are favourable and return 

 to their home, where, separating into strings, they scatter 

 themselves over the Polar regions. 



This is the "Wild-goose " as known to shore shooters. 

 It does not breed in our islands at all, but comes to us ia 



