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better suited to the habits of the bird than most highland sea-lochs, on account of the abundance 

 of grass which grows on the muddy sands, and which forms the principal food of the species. 

 Mr. Elwes, who has observed this flock, informs me that the Brent Geese remain at Loch Indaal 

 during the entire winter, and that at low-water they sit a good deal on the sands, and seem to 

 feed principally by day, being very little disturbed, and sometimes tame enough to let a boat 

 approach within seventy or eighty yards before rising. Their cry is a deep metallic note, some- 

 thing like craunjc, craunk, repeated several times ; but they do not utter it much, except when 

 they have been disturbed by boats or otherwise. Brent Geese afford excellent eating, their 

 favourite food being a sweet grass which grows on the flats in shallow water. 



" On the east coast of Scotland the Brent Goose is particularly abundant in certain firths or 

 estuaries, and is found throughout the winter months in tolerably large flocks from Berwick to 

 the Orkneys. Selby speaks of being informed that twenty-two were killed at one shot near Holy 

 Island; and a writer in the 'Edinburgh Journal of Natural History' for May 1837, probably 

 Mr. Macgillivray, the editor, states that he had seen a flock of ten thousand Brent Geese in the 

 Cromarty Firth, between Invergordon and Cromarty ferry. He did not, however, say what 

 means he took to count them." 



It occurs in the autumn on the Shetland coast ; and on the coasts of Ireland it is common 

 in suitable localities at all seasons of the year, except during the breeding-season. 



In Greenland it is common, and breeds in great numbers in the Polar Sea, but is stated not 

 to nest further south than in 70° N. lat. It arrives in Iceland, Faber says, about the same time 

 as Bernicla leucopsis, but is rare, being only found here and there. He says, however, that a 

 nest of this species was found at the end of June 1819, inland from EyjarfjorSr ; and Professor 

 Newton adds that Mr. Baring-Gould was told that this as well as three other species of Geese 

 bred on the islands at Myvatn, and that the name of this was " Margas." It visits the Fseroes 

 during the two seasons of passage, but does not breed there. Captain Feilden received the skin 

 of one killed at Qualvig, on Stromo, in May 1872. Mr. Collett informs me that it is not known 

 to breed in Norway, but vast numbers occur on passage, in the spring keeping along the outer 

 islands, and on the return journey in autumn nearer to the coast. It is very seldom seen in the 

 interior. On the south-west coast it winters in larger or smaller numbers ; and examples have 

 been shot at that season at Bergen and on Jsederen. 



On passage it is common in Sweden, arriving in the southern districts from the north in large 

 flocks late in September or early in October, passing on southward to return again on its way 

 north in April or May. Dr. Palmen says that it is regularly to be met with on the shores of the 

 Gulf of Finland during passage, but only rarely in the spring on those of the Gulf of Bothnia. 



On the north coasts of Eussia, in Novaya Zemlya, and Spitzbergen it is common. Professor 

 Newton writes (Ibis, 1865, p. 512), "In Parry's expedition, on the 16th June, a nest of this 

 bird, with two eggs, was brought on board from Eoss Islet, lat. 80° 48' N. — perhaps the most 

 northern land ever visited by man. It was then also seen in large flocks about Walden and 

 Little Table Islands. Dr. Malmgren found it breeding on the Depot Holm, and also on the 

 shore of the mainland in Treurenberg Bay — the latter fact proving Professor Torell's remark, that 

 it only breeds on islets, to be an imperfect generalization. Messrs. Evans and Sturge, to whom 

 I am indebted for specimens of its eggs, found it breeding on the South-Cape Islands. One of 



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