20 28 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



the most numerous species of Goose that visits Ireland in winter, has 

 been sent repeatedly from Achill, and may be seen there and on the 

 Mullet in large flocks every winter. Wallace has a large specimen in 

 confinement, the length of which he gives as " 31 inches and the wing 18 ; 

 the white reaches as far as the eye, and extends to the throat, the black 

 markings reaching almost to the tail." He finds that some of the White- 

 fronted Geese that visit Mayo are of this large variety, but that the 

 majority are much smaller. 



Anser segetum (J. F. Gmel.). Bean-Goose. — A winter visitor to the district 

 according to Good and Sheridan ; the latter says that small flocks of four 

 or five may be seen on sand-points near the sea iu Achill. In Connemara 

 Caton-Haigh shot this and the last species, but found the Bean-Goose in 

 decidedly smaller numbers and more shy than the White-fronted. 

 Wallace does not give it as a visitor to the Mullet. 



Chen hyperboreus (Pallas), Chen nivalis (Foster). Snow-Goose. — Though not 

 yet recorded from the Clew Bay district nor Achill, Snow-Geese have 

 been twice taken on the Mullet, and occasionally observed on Killala 

 Bay (Kirkwood, Knox). 



Bernicla leucopsis (Bechst.). Beknacle-Goose. — Common winter visitor hi 

 flocks to Clare Island, having been recorded there by Hammond in March 

 and April and again in September, October, and November. On 18th 

 February, 1912, McCabe reported that large flocks had been seen for a 

 fortnight flying over towards Cahir Island ; this is one of their feeding- 

 grounds, as well as Uuvilaun, Frehill, and all the other grassy uninhabited 

 islands off Donegal, Mayo, and Gal way, also pastures near those coasts, at 

 Lissadell near Sligo, Keel commons on Achill, lands near Binvyle, Con- 

 nemara ; while specimens have been sent from Cahirciveen and Valencia. 

 On Aranmore, Bernacle Geese are seen passing south hi flocks during 

 the latter half of October, and again in April going north, and some 

 remain on that island all the winter. 



Bernicla brenta (Pallas). Beent-Goose. — Frequents during whiter Blacksod 

 Bay and Broadhaven in vast flocks, occurring on Achill shores, where 

 Sheridan has shot Brent-Geese year by year, and Good has obtained them 

 in the Westport district. They frequent Tralee Bay numerously, also 

 Sligo and Drumcliff Bays, usually arriving in October, more rarely in 

 September, and depart in April. They feed on the mud-banks, and not on 

 the islands or pastures ; this fact distinguishes them from Bemaclss, with 

 which they are generally confounded under the latter name in Ireland. 



