361 



3^f by 2\% to 3f^ by 2j^ inches. When the young are hatched they remain about a day in the 

 nest, and are then conducted by the mother to the water ; and when the nest is near the water, 

 which is not always the case, they return to the nest every evening, and are covered during the 

 night by the old bird. The young birds are often caught, and soon become tolerably tame. In 

 Northern Finland almost all the Geese kept in confinement were, I was told, caught young and 

 kept until fat and ready for the table ; and two old women who used to assist me greatly in my 

 egg-collecting told me that they drove a thriving trade in catching and rearing the young of this 

 Goose. 



There exists some difference of opinion amongst ornithologists as to the derivation of the 

 word "lag" as applied to the present species. Yarrell held that "lag" is a modification of the 

 English word lake ; but Professor Skeats (Ibis, 1870, p. 301) opines (with more reason, it appears 

 to me) that it was called the Grey-lag Goose because it used formerly to lag behind to breed in 

 our fens, instead of leaving for the north with the other species. 



The specimen figured is the adult male above described, and is in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens: — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, 3 ad. Lincolnshire coast, November 12th. b,juv. Scotland. c,d,pull. Sutherland, May 1877 {J. A. 

 Harvie- Brown). 



