Periodical 
visitant. 
Food. 
272 NATATORES. ANSER. Brent Goose. 
Tus species is, like the preceding one, a winter visitant ; 
inhabiting the oozy bays and shores of the eastern and 
southern coasts of the kingdom, where a supply of the ma- 
rine vegetable food upon which it subsists is principally 
produced. Upon the Northumbrian coast a very large body 
of these birds annually resorts to the extensive muddy and 
sandy flats that lie between the mainland and Holy Island, 
and which are covered by every flow of the tide. In this 
locality tolerably sized flocks usually make their appearance 
in the early part of October, which are increased by the re- 
peated arrival of others till the beginning of November, at 
which time the equatorial movement of the species in this 
latitude seems to be completed. This part of the coast ap- 
pears to have been a favourite resort of these birds from 
time immemorial, where they have always received the name 
of Ware Geese, given to them, without doubt, in consequence 
of their food consisting entirely of marine vegetables. This 
I have frequently verified by dissection ; finding the gizzard 
filled with the leaves and stems of a species of grass that 
grows abundantly in the shallow pools left by the tide, and 
with the remains of the fronds of different alge, particularly 
of one which seems to be the Laver (Ulva latissima). These 
were mixed with a considerable quantity of sharp sand, but 
without any portion of animal or shelly matter; although 
Witson states that they feed occasionally upon small uni- 
valve and bivalve mollusca. In this haunt they remain till 
the end of February, when they migrate in successive flocks, 
as the individuals happen to be influenced by the season, 
and before April the whole have disappeared. When they 
depart, the same procedure as that mentioned by W1Lson 
(in his American Ornithology) takes place; the flock about 
to migrate rises high into the air by an extensive spiral 
course, and then moves off seaward in a northerly direction. 
When feeding (which they do at the ebb of the tide), or 
moving from one place to another, they keep up a continual 
hoarse cackling, or, as it is termed, honking noise, which can 
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