The Red-Breasted Goose. 79 



The nest is said to resemble tliat of. the Bean Goose, but smaller, and the 

 eggs creamy white, with obscure traces of an underlying green shell — the shell 

 itself very fragile. 



Mr. Howard Saunders, (" Yarrell's British Birds," vol. iv, pp. 282-3), has 

 recorded sixteen probable occurrences of the Red-breasted Goose between 1776 

 and 187 1, in the British Islands; the last of these was shot at Maldon, Essex, 

 from a flock of Brent Geese, on January 21st, 1871, and was purchased by Mr. 

 Harting. Subsequently it was added to Mr. Marshall's collection, at Taunton, 

 having been purchased at the sale of Mr. Harting's skins, on June 6th, 1872, at 

 Messrs. Steven's rooms for thirty guineas. 



The Red-breasted Goose has occurred as a straggler in various parts of Europe 

 and North Africa, but so far not in the Spanish Peninsula. On February 12th, 

 1869, an adult male, in full plumage, was got twenty- two miles from Florence; 

 another is said to have been shot, near Mantua, some years previously. On 

 December nth, 1879, ^^ immature example, sex not determined, was shot in the 

 marshes of Saint-Jean d'Abbetot, Dep. Seine InferieUre. Again on February i8th, 

 in 1881, one, in most perfect plumage, was killed on the coast of Holland, by two 

 punt shooters, from a flock of Bemacle-Geese, twenty-three of the latter being 

 got at the same time. One was got in Wiirtenburg in 1844, and a few are recorded 

 from other parts of Europe. 



The Red-breasted Goose has not been found in Egypt; it is a remarkable 

 fact, however, that the ancient Egyptians appear to have been well acquainted 

 with it, for in some of the oldest pictures in the world, in tombs and temples, it 

 remains to this day, accurately portrayed, in never fading colours. 



Seebohm, in his "British Birds," (vol. iii, p. 516), summarizes the accounts 

 of the various naturalists, Russian and German, who have become acquainted with 

 this pretty Goose in its winter quarters, where it occurs in such enormous numbers 

 that thousands are sold every year, at prices varying from three half-pence to 

 twopence half-penny each. " Dr. Radde describes its great abundance in winter 

 on the islands near the south-west shore of the Caspian — after a heavy fall of 

 snow, the fishermen clear a space on the grassy islands, and often catch them in 

 such numbers in nets, that they are sold from five to ten kopecks each. When 

 they begin to collect before migration, thousands of flocks are reputed to be seen, 

 and it is stated that the worst shots obtain as many as two hundred during the 

 season. When feeding together they utter a loud trumpet-like note ; but their 

 cry, as they call to each other on migration, is a double note, which Finsch says 

 is easily imitated by the aid of a bit of birch bark, and which Pallas represents 

 as resembling the sound of the syllables ' shak-voy,' whence its local name amongst 



