36 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. Ill, 



geese breeding in Sutherland, excepting on the 

 islands of Loch Shin, where a few still breed 

 annually in spite of the constant and cruel war- 

 fare waged against them. The number of eggs 

 in each nest was from four to seven, and they had 

 all been apparently sat upon for some time : indeed 

 w^e found one brood of young birds at least four or 

 five days old. This being on the 18th of May, 

 proves that this bird arrives at its breeding-place 

 very early. A goose sits a month, so that sup- 

 posing these young birds were four days old, it 

 carries back the time when the old bird commenced 

 sitting to the 14th of April ; and then allowing 

 ten days for the bird to prepare her nest and lay 

 her eggs, the Grey lag goose cannot arrive at 

 the breeding-places later than the 1st or 2nd of 

 April. The Bean goose arrives in Morayshire and 

 that part of Scotland from the south as nearly as pos- 

 sible in the third week of March, their arrival a few 

 days earlier or later depending on the state of the 

 w^eather ; and the flocks do not leave that country till 

 the 29th or 30th of April, some few even remaining 

 several days afterwards. This fact shows a great 

 distinction in the habits of the two kinds of geese ; 

 for while the Bean goose {Anser segetum) is still 

 fattening on the oat and pea fields, the Grey lag 

 goose {Anser ferns) has already laid, and is nearly 



