358 



in the south-eastern portion of the Ekaterinburg and Shadrinsk districts in the Ural, in the 

 former as far north as 56° N. lat. It does not breed near Ekaterinburg itself, but is said to do 

 so in the district of Tebitsk. 



It does not appear to breed in Poland ; for all that is said about it by Mr. Taczanowski is 

 that it is somewhat rare there at the two seasons of migration. 



It is met with in continental Europe chiefly on passage, though it nests here and there in 

 several countries, even as far south as Spain. It breeds in North Germany, but only as a 

 straggler, or at least not commonly, and has been found nesting above Magdeburg, near Danzig 

 and Stettin, and on several lakes in Mecklenburg. Mr. Passler says (J. f. O. 1856, p. 66) that it 

 breeds every year, and not uncommonly, in Anhalt, on the Badetzer lake, and on the Diebziger 

 moors ; and Naumann records it from the same localities. It does not winter in Germany, but is 

 a migrant, arriving late in February or early in March, and leaving again in October or November. 

 In Denmark it occurs, and breeds throughout the country, in suitable localities, and is not 

 uncommon. According to Professor Schlegel it occurs on passage in Holland, arriving in October, 

 and occasionally remains over the winter during mild seasons. In Belgium and France it occurs 

 on passage, and occasionally, when the weather is mild, during the winter ; and it also occurs, 

 though rarely, in Portugal. 



In Spain, Colonel Irby says (Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 195), this Goose " is found in winter at 

 the Laguna de la Janda and in the various lagoons of the marismas of the Guadalquivir in 

 enormous numbers. They generally arrive at the former place about the 20th of November, the 

 earliest that I noticed in two consecutive years being on the 8th of November and the 25th of 

 October. Commencing their departure about the 14th of February, they are all gone by the 

 first week in March, and seem for the most part to migrate by day. Although, like Ducks, they 

 'flight' at night (though, as a rule, rather later in the evening and later in the morning), they 

 affect particular favourite spots and pools without any apparent reason for their likes and 

 dislikes, some places never being frequented by them." Since this was written, however, Colonel 

 Irby has ascertained that it occasionally breeds in Spain, and has obtained several eggs from 

 there, one of which he has given to me. 



It Italy it occurs during passage and in winter, but does not appear to be common ; but it 

 is said by Mr. Brooke to be tolerably numerous in Sardinia during the cold season. In Southern 

 Germany it is not uncommon; and Dr. A. Fritsch states (J. f. O. 1872, p. 368), "It is the only 

 species of Wild Geese which breeds in Bohemia. Not more than twenty years ago I found 

 Grey-lag Geese breeding in the immediate vicinity of the shooting-box Wohrad, near Frauenberg, 

 and they allowed me to approach to within a distance of 100 paces. They have disappeared from 

 this locality now, but were found breeding only a few years ago in the district of Cirnic, near 

 Budweis ; but they were driven away from that place by the erection of a rifle-range near their 

 breeding-place. Some are said to breed in the Wittingau district. Before the ponds of Pardubic 

 were drained they used to breed there too." Messrs. Danford and Harvie-Brown say that it is 

 common in Transylvania, occurring in large flocks during passage ; and I saw several flocks 

 of Wild Geese (apparently Grey-lags) on the Lower Danube. Messrs. Elwes and Buckley 

 (Ibis, 1870, p. 339) found it " plentiful in Macedonia, and not uncommon in Bulgaria, where 

 it breeds ;" and, according to Dr. Kriiper, it is common in Greece in winter ; and Lord Lilford 



