18 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



black feathers of the neck ; otherwise he was in the ordinary 

 winter dress of the old bird. We saw him arrive flying direct 

 westwards, but once inside the harbour he alit on a sandbank. 

 Here he amused himself by making short quick runs on tip-toe, 

 flapping his wings the while, till he received his coup de grace. 



Brent Geese are day-feeders. Only when harassed by 

 shooters do they venture on the Zostera banks by night, and 

 this only when they are favoured by moonlight. With the first 

 of the dawn, they rise from their resting-places on the open sea, 

 preparatory to winging their way to their favourite feeding 

 grounds. The sea-grass on which they feed attains a great 

 length, some stalks measuring five feet in length. It is the 

 decomposition of each year's growth that causes the immense 

 deposit of soft mud known as the " slake," incapable in many 

 places of bearing much more than the weight of the birds which 

 feed on and about it. About sunrise, a little sooner or later, 

 according to the tide, the Brents repair to this slimy ooze to 

 feed. During the daytime, especially in fine weather, they may 

 be frequently seen chasing each other, and playing the hours 

 away till an hour or so before dark, when they are again hungry 

 and wishful to get a good crop-full before taking flight seawards 

 for the night. At this time, especially if it be a flood tide and 

 hard weather, the punt gunner expects to get a heavy shot. 

 Indeed, sometimes so intent are they about their own suppers 

 that they will allow a punt to be shoved right up among them. 

 Just as the sun disappears behind Old Cheviot's Firehills, the 

 geese cease to feed, and go direct out to sea. With the excep- 

 tion of crossing a narrow strip of sandlinks both at their morning 

 and evening flight, they never cross dry land, and their flights 

 are usually made at a height beyond the reach of a shoulder gun ; 

 but under the conditions of a head wind, which makes them fly 

 low, usually some gaps are made in their otherwise beautifully 

 symmetrical formations. 



A winged Brent is pretty sure to make for the water if it 

 happens to fall on dry land. Here they make feeble attempts at 

 diving, but on the whole cripples are usually easy enough to 

 gather. 



Daring October, and especially from the 20th to the 25th of 

 the month. Redwings and Fieldfares were nearly always to be 

 heard passing over westwards while we were busy launching the 



