The White-Fronted Goose. 59 



obtained in the Humber District, and, as far as I am aware, they have never been 

 seen in anything like the same number since. 



Montagu says, " we have met with this species, in general, more plentiful 

 than the Bean Goose. It visits the fenny parts of this country in small flocks 

 in winter, is killed on the coast, as well as on our rivers, in severe weather, and 

 not uncommonly brought to market and sold for the common wild Goose." 



The Rev. Richard Lnbbock (" Fauna of Norfolk," new edition, 1879, p. 165), 

 says : — " enormous flocks of the Bean Goose visit the western part of Norfolk 

 every autumn, with these are sometimes a good many of the White-fronted Geese." 

 At the present day it can scarcely be called a regular winter visitant to the 

 county. Mr. Selby says : — " it varies from the Bean Goose in preferring low 

 and marshy districts, to the upland and drier haunts of that bird, and in these 

 localities subsists on the aquatic grasses, being very seldom seen to frequent com 

 and stubble fields." 



Mr. St. John says : — " it arrives in this country (Moray) from its breeding 

 quarters in the Arctic and northern regions about the middle of October, in small 

 companies of from six to twelve generally, and if left tolerably undisturbed frequents 

 regularly the same swamp and piece of marsh till the end of April, feeding on 

 aquatic plants, and in the spring frequently grazing on the young clover and 

 green wheat, more in the manner of the Grey Lag than the Bean Goose, the 

 latter confining itself as much as possible to grain." 



It is very probable that since the drainage of the fens and marshes, thia 

 species has deserted many of its old haunts in the eastern counties. 



The adult White-fronted Goose is a very handsome bird, and is more closely 

 connected with the Grey Lag than with the other Geese. It is a smaller bird than 

 the Bean Goose, measuring, in an adult, twenty-seven to twenty-eight inches, 

 against thirty-one to thirty-four of the other. 



Bill orange-yellow ; nail white ; legs and feet orange ; forehead white in 

 adults — hence its name ; — mouse- coloured upper wing-coverts ; breast and belly 

 with patches and bands of black. These marks vary greatly in size and distribution 

 according to the age of the bird, and in some examples in Mr. Haigh's collection,* 

 shot in Ireland, which I have examined in connection with this notice, the entire 

 underparts are black. In young birds the white markings on the forehead are 

 absent, and the feathers at the base of the upper mandible darker than the crown 

 of the head, and there are no black markings on the breast and abdomen. On 

 the wing, adults are readily distinguishable by these black markings, and their 



* Mr. Frohawk's excellent illustrations in connection with these papers, are largely made from local skins 

 of the geese and ducks, lent for the purpose, by Mr. G. H. Caton Haigh, of Grainsby Hall, Lincolnshire. 



