204 FIELD-XOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XIV. 



mense flights of the bean goose arrive in the Find- 

 horn Bay. Tliey come in, just about sunset, in four 

 or five hirge flocks, and an infinite quantity of 

 gabbling and chattering takes place for several 

 hours ; but by daybreak they seem to have deter- 

 mined on their respective beats, and separating 

 into smaller flocks disperse over the land, and do 

 not collect again in very numerous flocks until they 

 are about to leave that part of the country at the 

 end of April or the beginning of May. The wild 

 geese decrease in number every year : the grey lag 

 goose is a very rare visitor to the oat-fields here, 

 although so many breed in Sutherlandshire. 



The woodcocks are more numerous at this time of 

 year in the larger woods than during any part of the 

 winter : they pair early, and have probably before this 

 time taken up their breeding quarters. Those which 

 breed abroad do not leave this country till just be- 

 fore their time of laying. I am much inclined to 

 think that most birds which migrate from us in the 

 spring pair some time before they take their de- 

 parture. 



