62 ANATID^. 



anything but Zostera. This was generally in pieces about a foot 

 in length, which, when so long, were always folded neatly up, 

 sometimes as much so as a ribbon, but short pieces were not so 

 arranged. He well remarks that they must fold this narrow leaf 

 with the tongue, and that it is a nice provision of nature to enable 

 them to swallow such food with convenience : he has found it in 

 the folded shape in the throat."^ Until November, these birds 

 are not much sought after for the table in Belfast. They have 

 been becoming gradually cheaper of late years. In the winters of 

 1843 and 1844, I noted them, as generally sold in the shops, at 

 2s. a bird, but as formerly dearer, and that the shooters then 

 obtained from Is. 3d', to Is. 6d. each for them ; — in the winters 

 of 1848 and 1849, Is. was about the usual sum they received. 

 Brent geese vary much in size and weight. 



Mr. Jenyns remarks that " the young of the year" have no white 

 on the side of the neck, and Mr. Yarrell says, little or none. In 

 their infancy such may be the case ; but to the young of the year, 

 as this term is understood by ornithologists, it is not applicable. 

 I do not remember ever to have seen one from the end of August, 

 when they are first killed, without some indication of white on the 

 sides of the neck, where, in adult birds, the patch of this colour 

 is conspicuous and well-marked. By much the greater proportion 

 of brent geese killed here, especially early in the season, are the 

 young of tlie year. Looking to this point particularly in 1840, 

 it was noted under the 2nd of November, that although for the 

 last six weeks these birds were constantly on sale, I had not seen 

 an adult until that day : on the 9th of the mouth, three out of 

 four which I saw hanging at a shop-door were old birds. 



Montagu states : — " We are informed some of these birds breed 

 in Ireland.'' I have not seen any record to that effect, but am 

 credibly informed that, about thirty years ago, one pair built a 

 nest on Swan Island, Larne Lough, in which eggs were laid, 



* March 1850. I examined a number of folded pieces of the Zostera from a brent 

 goose (taken from tbe throat to the stomach inclusive), and found the longest piece 

 to be 18 inches ; its breadth was \ of an inch. 



Wilson, in his ' American Ornithology,' remarks that " their principal food is a 

 broad-leaved marine plant, but that they also eat small shell-fish" (vol. iii. p. 166). 



