Family ANATID^. Genus Anser. 



Su'bfamily Ansbrinm. 



PINK-FOOTED GOOSE. 



ANSER BRACHYRHYNCHUS— -5a27/tf«. 



Geographical Distribution. — British: Common winter 

 visitor, found most abundantly on the east coast of England and 

 Scotland, more sparingly on the west coast of Scotland, and 

 locally in the Outer Hebrides, and on the south coast of England. 

 Singularly enough this species has not yet been obtained in 

 Ireland, or observed in the Shetland Islands. Foreign : Extreme 

 north-western Patearctic region; accidental in Oriental region 

 during winter. The only known breeding places of this very 

 doubtfully distinct species are the islands of Spitzbergen, probably 

 on Iceland, and possibly on Nova Zembla. It is found on the 

 coasts of Scandinavia, Denmark, and Holland during the autumn 

 and spring migrations, and during winter has been observed on 

 the coasts of Belgium and France. So far as is known, the 

 British Islands are the grand head-quarters of this Goose during 

 winter. It has been obtained in Northern India. Among other 

 occurrences may be mentioned a pair shot in the Jumna by 

 Hume during January, 1864. 



Allied Forms. — Anser segetum, probably the parent form, a 

 British species, and treated fully in the preceding chapter. 



Time during which the Pink-footed Goose may be 



taken. — August ist to March ist. 



Habits. — The habits of the Pink-footed Goose are not 

 known to differ in any very important particular from those of the 

 closely allied Bean Goose ; indeed, further investigation may yet 

 prove that the two birds are only subspecifically distinct. The 

 note of the Pink-footed Goose, however, is said to be sharper and 



