GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 331 



Siberia, Mongolia, and the valley of the Amoor on migration, and 

 winters in North-east Turkestan, China, and Japan. 



Allied Forms. — Anser segetum serrirostris, the Eastern form 

 of the Bean Goose ; only subspecifically distinct, the two races 

 completely intergrading. As we have already noticed, in treating 

 of the entire range of both forms, it is an inhabitant of Eastern 

 Siberia from the Baikal district to the Pacific. Typical examples 

 differ from the Bean Goose in being larger, especially the bill and 

 feet (length of bill from frontal feathers to tip 3 "4 to 2-4 inches, 

 instead of from 2 '5 inches to 17 inch). The head and neck are 

 huffish brown instead of brownish gray; but it is possible this 

 character is derived from the Eastern race interbreeding with 

 A. cygnoides, a bird with the back of the neck dark brown, and 

 with the bill black, and the legs and feet flesh-coloured. 

 A. brachyrhyncJms, a fairly distinct island race, a British species, 

 and dealt with in the following chapter. 



Time during which the Bean Goose may be taken.— 



August I St to March ist. 



Habits. — Great numbers of Bean Geese simply pass along 

 our coasts in autumn for more southern haunts, and repass them 

 on their way north again in spring ; still many remain with us 

 throughout the winter. This species, like most of its congeners, 

 begins to arrive in its northern haunts with the first signs of 

 departing winter. Small parties reach the neighbourhood of 

 the Arctic Circle, both in Europe and Asia, during the second 

 half of May, but these are often compelled to retire some distance 

 south again owing to a late frost. When once the great rivers 

 break through their bonds of ice, and the south wind brings 

 summer to the Arctic regions, the Bean Geese arrive in full force, 

 flock after flock pouring in from the south, following in the wake 

 of the open water. As soon as the young are half-grown, and the 

 short summer begins to wane, these Geese again unite into 

 flocks to complete their moult, and then in early autumn the 

 grand flight south commences. In our islands the Bean Goose 

 lives in flocks of varying size, which wander about a good deal 

 according to the state of the weather and the supply of food. 

 Some of these gatherings are very large, and at all times difficult 

 to approach, although they are certainly less wary at night. The 



