Brent Goose 155 



or greenish white in colour. According to Mr. Gobel, the eggs of the black-legged geese in 

 the structure of the shell approach those of the ducks. The following are the dimensions 

 for this species : — 



Diameter ....... 46-56 mm. (= i. 81-2. 20 in.). 



Length 66-74 „ ( = 2.59-2.91 „ ). 



But Mr. Gobel gave me the annexed table of measurements and weights, based, 

 unfortunately, on only six examples, so that it seems we are still far from knowing the 

 extreme dimensions and weight of the eggs of this goose. 



Max. breadth 51 mm. ( = 2 in.), with 79 mm. length ( = 3.11 in.), and 714 cgrm. weight (Spitzbergen). 



Min. „ 46 „ (=1.81 „), „ 71 „ „ ( = 2.79 „), „ ? „ „ (Greenland). 



Max. length 79 „ ( = 3.11 „ ), „ 51 „ breadth ( = 2 „ ), „ 714 „ „ (Spitzbergen). 



Min. „ 71 „ ( = 2.79 „), „ 46 „ „ (=1.81 „ ), „ ? „ „ (Greenland). 



Max. weight 756 cgrm., with 48 mm. ( = 1.88 in.) breadth, and 72 mm. length ( = 2.83 in.) (Spitzbergen). 



Min. „ 678 „ „ 48 „ (=1.88 „) „ „ 73.5 „ „ ( = 2.89 „ )(Malyya Karmokuly). 



6 examples gave : mean breadth 48 mm.( = 1.89 in.); max. breadth 51 mm. ( = 2 in.) ; min. breadth^ mm. ( = 1.8 1 in.). 

 6 » »,, » len g th 73 „ ( = 2.87,,); „ length 79 „ ( = 3.11 „); „ length 71 „ ( = 2.79,,). 



3 » » „ weight 715 cgrm.; „ weight 756 cgrm.; „ weight 6y8 cgrm. 



On July 15 Middendorff found on the river Taimyr goslings which had only just 

 left the egg (he gives a figure), but in some places, as, e.g., on Kolguev, they are evidently 

 hatched rather earlier. It is probable that, during the moulting of the old birds, when the 

 Samoyeds catch them in large numbers by driving them into nets, a vast number of young in 

 down, or those which are beginning to get their feathers, perish. Of the summer life of this 

 species we know nothing. 



So far as may be judged from existing data, brent geese, like ducks and many other 

 birds, do not always nest from year to year in the same spots. Middendorff, for example, 

 tells us that his interpreter met with brent breeding in large numbers on the river Pyasina 

 at the time of his first expedition, but on the second he found red -breasted geese and 

 barnacles (B. leucopsis), and especially greater and lesser white-fronted geese, but no brent. A 

 similar circumstance occurs in Novaia Zemlia, where this goose certainly nests, although 

 Messrs. Pearson and Fielden did not find it there in either 1895 or 1897. 



If the spring and summer life of these geese is almost unknown, the same cannot be 

 said with regard to their life and habits in some of their winter resorts. At the latter season 

 all their habits have indeed been studied in detail by sportsmen, since the brent, on account 

 of its abundance, the excellent quality of its flesh, and the difficulty of securing it, is one of 

 the species most sought after by wild-fowlers. It is, however, almost impossible to recount 

 all the details and niceties of this attractive sport recorded in literature ; and this special 

 branch of sea-coast shooting can scarcely be said to be known in Russia. 



As I have given a short sketch on the subject in my Utki Rossii, I will now content 

 myself with quoting from various authors descriptions of the habits and life of these geese in 

 their winter haunts. 



One of the best observers and authorities on wild-fowl in England, and a most 

 experienced sportsman, Mr. Abel Chapman, writes as follows in his excellent Art of 

 Wildfowling : — 



