ANATIDA. 4ir 
THE BRENT GOOSE. 
BERNICLA BRENTA (Pallas). 
The Brent is the most abundant and generally distributed of the 
Geese which visit us; and is found, in varying numbers, on the 
coasts of Great Britain—particularly the east and south—throughout 
the cold months of the year. Unless wounded, it is seldom seen on 
inland waters, and it passes a great part of the day and night at sea ; 
while at other times it frequents the extensive mud-flats and sand- 
bars on the shore which are exposed at every ebb-tide. Immense 
flocks resort to the vicinity of Holy Island on the Northumbrian 
coast, and multitudes have been observed in some seasons on the 
Cromarty and Dornoch Firths. In the Orkneys it is common, 
though local, while it visits the Shetlands annually; but in the 
Hebrides and along the west side of Scotland it is less numerous 
and less regular in its visits than the Bernacle. Vast quantities 
occur in many places on the shores and estuaries of Ireland. 
In cold weather the Brent Goose migrates to the Feeroes, the 
coasts of Scandinavia, and the shores of Europe generally ; 
occasionally reaching the Asiatic and African portions of the 
Mediterranean, and even as far south as Mogador (Payton). It 
seldom occurs in Iceland, and the Danish Expedition did not 
obtain it in East Greenland, but it breeds on the west side and on 
the opposite shores of Grinnell Land up to 82° 30’ N. In varying 
