OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 323 



during mild seasons, and is also known on migration in Central Europe, and is a 

 winter visitor to both coasts of the Mediterranean and the Spanish Peninsula. 

 The Asiatic birds winter in China south to Shanghai and in Northern India. 



Allied forms. —Anser rubrirostris. Eastern examples of the Grey Lag 

 Goose are said to be rather larger than those from western localities, and to have 

 more black on the underparts and less grey on the wing coverts, but whether 

 these differences are of sufficient constancy and importance to merit subspecific 

 rank is still an open question. A. alhifrons and A. erythropus, British species, 

 dealt with fully in the following chapters. 



Habits. — The Grey Lag Goose does not go so far north to breed as the 

 preceding species, and consequently its migrations are performed earlier in spring, 

 and in some localities the return south is also much sooner than is usually the 

 case with birds that seek their summer quarters early. The return migration 

 begins early in March, both in Europe and in Asia. Naumann states that they 

 arrive in Germany at the end of February or early the following month. Hume 

 says that they begin to leave India early in March, and continue to do so 

 throughout that month ; whilst Scully observed them at Yarkand, in Turkestan, 

 flying due north at a corresponding date. The return migration is said by 

 Naumann to begin in Germany towards the end of July, and a month later most 

 of the birds have gone ; but in Upper India this Goose is not observed until the 

 end of October, and in the south a week or so later still. In its winter quarters 

 it is a very gregarious bird, and often congregates into large flocks of many 

 hundreds, which, when passing from one distant place to another, or during 

 migration, fly high either in a single line or in the shape of a V or W, but when 

 simply changing their feeding grounds progress in scattered order. AJthough so 

 gregarious, it is rather a remarkable fact that the Grey Lag Goose seldom consorts 

 with other Wild Geese, yet it is ready enough to fraternise with its domesticated 

 descendants. Normally this Goose is a day feeder, but in districts where it is 

 much persecuted it changes its habits and searches for its food at night. In 

 India, where the days are very hot, it does not feed much after nine in the 

 morning until about four in the afternoon, spending the interval in sleep in some 

 safe and convenient spot. In our Islands many Grey Lag Geese repair to the 

 coast towards evening and sleep on some sandbank or low island ; others resort 

 to wild marshes and uplands to spend the hours of repose. This Goose does not 

 frequent the water much unless alarmed or during the helpless period of its 

 moult ; then the flocks often go for some distance out to sea to rest. It swims 

 well and buoyantly, and when wounded is even known to dive, although it cannot 

 remain under water long. Hume remarks that in India it always prefers rivers, 

 and is rarely seen on lakes and pools. Although a wary bird it is by no means a 

 shy one, and if proper means are adopted can often be approached with little 



