GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 351 



in the White Sea, and regularly along the coasts of Scandinavia, 

 on passage, and winters in the Baltic and on the coasts of 

 Denmark, Holland, Belgium, and North France, accidentally 

 straying as far south as the Spanish peninsula and Foggia, in the 

 Italian province of Capitanata. A couple were seen five years 

 ago by Mr. C. A. Payton, near Mogador, in Morocco, in com- 

 pany with Ruddy Sheldrakes. It occurs as a straggler in the 

 Shetlands and the Faroes, and has been known to wander as far 

 as the extreme southern shore of Hudson Bay. 



Allied Forms. — Bemida canadensis and its allied forms, all 

 inhabitants of the New World, from which the Bernacle Goose is 

 readily distinguished by its white instead of black forehead, and 

 black instead of white upper breast. 



Time during which the Bernacle Goose may be taken. 



— August I St to March ist. 



Habits. — Probably owing to its much more shy disposition, 

 the Bernacle Goose frequents wilder haunts than the Brent Goose, 

 nor is it so much addicted to low shores and mud-banks. It is by 

 far the most abundant, perhaps, from the neighbourhood of the 

 Solway northwards, along the wild, secluded coasts of the Hebrides 

 and the Scotch mainland. The Bernacle Goose is just as gre- 

 garious as the Brent Goose during its sojourn in the British 

 Islands, but, unlike that species, it sometimes frequents inland 

 waters, returning to them regularly every year. Owing to the 

 different nature of its food, the Bernacle Goose is much more of 

 a land bird than the Brent Goose, whilst instead of feeding by day, 

 it is decidedly a night feeder. I am of opinion that this nocturnal 

 habit is ancestral, but intensified through the bird's habitual 

 shyness impelling it to select the time when it is least likely to 

 attract observation during its visits to land, especially in civilised 

 countries. Even when much disturbed at night, it is ready enough 

 to come ashore during the day. The Bernacle Goose frequents 

 the mud-flats to sleep and rest, but it does not feed much whilst 

 there. Its food consists principally of marsh grass, to obtain 

 which the bird comes up from the sea to the littoral saltings, and 

 the banks of lakes and tidal rivers. The flight of this Goose is 

 quick and powerful, and the bird not only swims well, but is 

 capable of running very fast when wounded or during the helpless 



