THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 43 



band attended at the Garden, and from two to three hundred 

 people were assembled. So soon as they broke up into groups, after 

 the cessation of each piece of music, the goose took the part of 

 clown on such occasions at a theatre, and was " the observed of 

 all observers," as it paid its respects to party after party by running 

 towards them with its neck outstretched almost on a level with 

 the ground. On one of these occasions, in particular, it caused 

 much amusement by following like an humble servitor at the 

 heels of the lady of highest rank present (a marchioness) for, 

 perliaps, a couple of hours, and bestowing no attention or bold- 

 ness on any other party. In justice to the goose, we must, perhaps, 

 rather attribute this partiality to something attractive in the dress 

 of the lady, than to any unworthy tuft-hunting propensity. After 

 being about a year in the Garden, the goose disappeared, and not 

 much to the curator's regret, as it showed little regard to the 

 " Arrangement of British Herbaceous Plants " in the vicinity of 

 its pond being preserved intact, having often levied considerable 

 contributions from the soft and more tender kinds; among 

 the saxifrages, sometimes not a leaf was left to tell of their former 

 whereabouts. 



To the wilds of Connaught this species resorts every winter, and 

 associates commonly with the bean goose."^ It is brought during 

 that season of every year to the market of Dublin, where more 

 individuals of the white-fronted than of the species just mentioned 

 have been seen by Mr. R. Ball. An extensive hawker of wild fowl 

 also states that it has come more frequently under his notice there 

 than the bean goose. It has not been seen by Mr. Ball at Youghal, 

 on the southern coast, and, indeed, in the south generally, the 

 species is considered very rare. The 'Fauna of Cork' announces 

 it merely as having been met with in that county. " In Kerry, two 

 individuals have been obtained, one of wliich was rescued from the 

 claws of a raven, and lived some time afterwards in confinement, 

 becoming quite familiar." f In severe weather, a very few have 

 occasionally been killed in the counties of Wexford J and Watcr- 



* Mr. G. Jauksou. f Mr. K. Gliiite. + Major T. "Walker. 



