214 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Brent Goosz, Bernicla brenta.—I first saw Brent Geese on 
the 7th June, 1876, in St. Patrick’s Bay, lat. 81° 48’, when a pair 
came to breed. Numbers arrived in the following fortnight, 
feeding inland and frequenting muddy places by slushy torrents 
and ponds formed by the melting snow. Shoots of Hriophorum, 
Ranunculus, and Cerastiwm were the chief ingredients in their 
food. On the 24th June I found three nests in Musk-ox Valley; 
two had five eggs and one bad two. Subsequently I found many 
nests; five eggs was their regular number, though they occasionally 
hatched two or three. The eggs of the Brent Goose are perfectly 
delicious eating. The nest consisted of a layer of a couple or 
three inches thick, of leaves, tops, and shoots of plants, placed on 
the open ground, with a bed of down above from the female’s 
breast, which is plucked bare. By the beginning of July young 
Geese were on the water, and at the commencement of August 
they were easily knocked over in a half-fledged condition, while 
looking for food by muddy places near the sea. The female 
Brent Goose sits closely, the male keeping watch close by, and 
leaving when the visitor is about a hundred yards off; the female 
leaves when the nest is approached within ten or twenty yards, 
generally running instead of flying, although there is no means of 
concealment. It was a painful duty to shoot these, as well as 
other breeding birds, to supply our scurvy-stricken comrades 
with fresh food. ‘The Brent Goose is, however, excellent eating, 
and was preferred on board H.M.S. ‘ Discovery’ to all other 
Arctic game, and with us the term ‘‘game”’ included the entire 
list of birds and quadrupeds met with in Discovery Bay; even 
the Fox was highly appreciated. A few Brent Geese made their 
appearance in Polaris Bay, every one of which Dr. Coppinger 
informed me were shot for his invalids in July, 1876. 
Rock Prarmican.—On page 128, I made a mistake in stating 
that Dr. Coppinger did not observe this bird at Polaris Bay. 
Upon referring to my game-list, I find that four were killed 
during July, 1876, by Lieut. Beaumont’s party, to which Dr. 
Coppinger was attached. 
dhe sel 
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