GEESE. ae 
species or variety, measuring only 28 inches in length, and characterised by the 
middle portion of the beak being generally pinkish, although sometimes orange- 
yellow; while the feet are usually flesh-coloured. Breeding in Spitzbergen, 
probably Iceland, and perhaps Novaia Zemlia, this small goose visits the British 
Islands in great numbers during the winter, while it occurs rarely in Northern 
India. The snow goose (A. hyperborews), of which there is a large and small race, 
belongs to a second group of the genus! characterised by the very stout and 
slightly convex beak, and by the head and neck, or the whole plumage of the 
adult, with the exception of the primaries, being entirely white. The snow goose 
is one of those in which the primaries are black, and the rest of the plumage 
white ; the smaller variety measuring 23 inches in length. Distributed over the 
whole of North America, this essentially northern species probably has a cireum- 
polar distribution, and nests on the barren Arctic tundras, although but little is 
known of its habits. Ross’s goose (A. rossi) of north-western North America, is a 
smaller form, with numerous caruncles at the base of its shorter beak; while the 
American blue-winged goose (4. cwrulescens) has a large portion of the plumage 
of the body greyish brown, with bluish grey wing-coverts and rump. 
The true geese for the greater part of the year frequent marshes, 
lakes, moors, or open plains, where there is water; but during the 
winter not unfrequently seek the sea-coast. Their harsh “gaggling” notes are 
among the most discordant of sounds; and although they associate in flocks 
during the winter, and frequently also breed in company, each male has but a 
single consort. The nest is of large size, with the numerous eggs of a creamy 
white colour; and both sexes take part in the work of incubation. In undisturbed 
districts they feed during the day, but, when frequently fired at, their feeding- 
hours are mostly nocturnal; shoots of young grass and corn forming their 
favourite food. The snow goose, however, subsists largely on berries in the 
summer. Writing of the grey-lag goose in India, Mr. Hume observes that when 
not feeding, these birds “spend their time dozing or dawdling about on the margin 
of some lake or the bank of some river, always by preference choosing some island 
in these for their noontide siesta. Unless disturbed, they very rarely take to the 
water. Although they rise rather awkwardly and slowly, with violent and rather 
noisy flappings of their wings, they fly very strongly and easily when once off, 
and I do not know a more beautiful sight than the sudden and rapid descent of a 
large flock from high in the air to some sandbank. The flock comes along in 
sober state, circles round decorously once or twice, and then suddenly down they 
come with incredible rapidity, twisting and turning with an ease and grace for 
which no one could at other times have given them eredit.’ When passing from 
one piece of water to another, they frequently fly in an irregular mass, but, when 
journeying long distances, the flock generally ascends to a great height, and flies 
either in a line or a chevron. During the winter in India these geese are 
commonly seen in flocks of from thirty to a hundred, but at times a thousand or 
more may be collected together. The grey-lag does not go so far north to breed 
as the bean-goose - and its northward, and sometimes also its southward migration, 
is consequently earlier. The nest of the grey-lag is built of grass and flags, 
Habits. 
1 Frequently separated as a distinct genus Chen. 
