400 



once. Kidd took up a good position halfway down one side of the lake, I manoeuvred with a 

 very ugly dog on the other. After much shouting, stone-throwing, and violent gesticulation on 

 my part, and a good deal of running about on the part of the frightful cur, the whole line of the 

 Geese was driven within range of Kidd's gun. He gave them a warm salute. Six birds were 

 placed hors de combat at his first discharge ; another barrel completed the slaughter of the 

 seventh. The astonished survivors betook themselves with all haste to a remote corner of the 

 lake, and did not once take their eyes off Kidd while we were waiting for the dead to be floated 

 ashore. As soon as they had seen us to a distance in one direction, they ran off as fast as their 

 legs would carry them the other way, without stopping, until they reached the sea. I saw them 

 there through a telescope the next day but one. Directly they saw me approaching within a 

 mile of them they paddled out to sea at full speed, looking round as they went to make quite 

 sure that they were not being pursued. If they could have flown, they would ; but moulting put 

 flight out of the question completely." 



In Central Russia, Mr. Sabanaeff informs me, it is rare ; but in the Ural it is more numerous 

 than the White-fronted Goose during migration, and numbers are seen on the lakes. In Poland 

 it is very rare ; and Mr. Taczanowski informs me that there is only one Polish-killed specimen in 

 the Warsaw Museum, which was killed on the Vistula. On the coasts of Germany, and especially 

 on the Baltic coasts, it is less common than the Brent ; but in Denmark it occurs not unfrequently 

 on migration, and, according to Melchior, large numbers are seen in Southern Falster in the spring 

 and autumn. Mr. Collin says that it arrives in September, remains until November, and then 

 passes south, to return again in April, when it remains but a short time on its road north. It 

 occurs also on passage on the shores of the German Ocean ; and Professor Schlegel states that it 

 is now and again seen on the coast of Holland, but only in small numbers and during severe cold ; 

 and the same may be said respecting its occurrence in Belgium. It is found on passage on the 

 coasts of Flanders, and at the mouth of the Escaut from November to March ; but it is rarely met 

 with in the interior, though it has been killed on the Meuse, near Namur. In the north of 

 France it is met with in November, December, and January, especially during severe seasons, and 

 repasses again in March ; but in the south of France it is of very accidental occurrence during 

 winter. I do not find it recorded from Portugal ; and with respect to its occurrence in Southern 

 Spain, Colonel Irby says (Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 196) that one obtained some years ago near Seville 

 was in the possession of the landlord of the Fonda de Europa, and was, he thinks, possibly an 

 escaped bird from San Lucar. Mr. Howard Saunders also states (Ibis, 1871, p. 396) that he saw 

 one at Seville which had been shot on the marisma ; but possibly this may have been the same 

 specimen as is above referred to by Colonel Irby. In the countries bordering the Mediterranean 

 it is of very rare occurrence, and does not appear to have occurred in Italy — for it is omitted by 

 Salvadori, — and has not been observed in Greece ; but it has been obtained in Southern Germany. 

 Dr. Fritsch says that it has been met with twice in Bohemia — one having been killed, it is said, 

 on the Frauenberg pond, and one near Leban in 1842. 



In Asia it is of rare and almost doubtful occurrence. Von Middendorff did not meet with 

 it in Siberia; but the Jakuts and Samojedes assured him that it was not rare in the Taimyr 

 country. Neither Badde nor Von Schrenck met with it in South-east Siberia. Naumann says 

 that it visits Japan ; but this statement requires confirmation. In North America, Dr. Coues 



