34 ANATID^. 



from a distance of about twenty yards. This bird had more 

 white round the base of the bill than I had before seen in the 

 bean goose. Its stomach was wholly filled with stems and 

 leaves of the shamrock trefoil. 



Wild geese, probably of this species, sometimes appear on 

 wing near BeKast early in the autumn. On the 20th August, 

 1836, I observed six, perhaps one family, fly over Wolf-hill, 

 apparently on migration. 



On the 22nd of August, 1849, a fine day, (the weather mild 

 for some time past,) I saw a flock of thirty wild geese fly low and 

 in silence over the road near Holywood House entrance. They 

 were proceeding in a south-east course. Though I observed them 

 on wing for nearly a mile, I did not hear a call. 



Early in the last week of September, 1838, a small flock was 

 seen over Ballymacarret, flying low, and proceeding in a southerly 

 direction. On September 15^ 1840, the first wild geese of the 

 season — a flock of thirty — were noticed ; and on the 30th of that 

 month about a hundred appeared. On the 12th September, 1841, 

 five were remarked flying south-westerly, and in the middle of 

 November two or three flocks were similarly observed. On the 

 8th of September, 1843, I saw, near Templepatrick, a flock of 

 twenty-five wild geese, flying in a south-east course. The day 

 was very fine and warm, such as the weather had been for 

 the preceding ten days. In 1845, a flock of sixteen birds was 

 observed, on the 12th of September, flying over Belfast Bay; and 

 during the follomng six weeks great numbers appeared ; many 

 flocks occasionally on one day. Some of them alighted, though 

 very seldom, to rest on Ballymacarret bank at low water, but they 

 never remained so long as an hour. Throughout every month 

 until January inclusive, and when there is no severe weather here, 

 wild geese are occasionally seen passing in a southerly direction : 

 in the last week but one of December, 1837, several flocks, each 

 of about twenty birds, appeared over the bay, the weather dm-ing 

 the week being extremely wet. The wedge-shaped form in which 

 wild geese fly has often been commented on ; but I have gene- 

 rally seen them fly in " strings," or single lines. Many species 



