1 56 Geese of Europe and Asia 



" These geese are the latest to arrive of all our winter wild-fowl. The average date for 

 their appearance in force (on the N.E. coast) falls after Christmas. Though stragglers may 

 come in November, one cannot rely on having them here in numbers before January, and 

 in some seasons much later. Thus during the present winter (1896) the chief arrival occurred 

 in the second week of February ; and in the memorable season of 1886 we had very few till as 

 late as March, when they came in quite unprecedented numbers, as I have elsewhere described 

 An excellent general index of their abundance or scarcity on our coast is afforded by the state 

 of the ice in the Sound at Copenhagen and in the Cattegat, which information is daily 

 reported at the season in the shipping newspapers." 



In another paragraph the same author writes as follows : — 



"To return to our geese. To such spots, where miles of mudflats flank the land, 

 and dreary sand-dunes separate the slob from the sea beyond, thither flock the brents in black 

 battalions at break of day. By companies and detachments they come in from the sea, 

 clanging down a wild chorus as they speed through the upper air towards green oozes where 

 the Zostera carpets the mud with emerald fronds. Black forward and white astern are their 

 predominant colours, and as they lower their flight the long files, now low on the water, 

 resemble giant centipedes crawling along. Now watch them whirl in air like a black swarm 

 of bees, though always maintaining their chain-like formations ; to and fro they wheel over 

 their chosen feeding-ground in a hundred concentric, opposing circles, then with a crash of 

 bird-music and flapping of dark pinions the whole host is down. Full five hundred 

 have pitched on the green spit before us, a second company in the bight beyond ; but the 

 main army is still on wing. We can see them still flying inwards, bound for the big 

 banks six miles up the estuary. 



" The geese at once commence their breakfast; with the glass you can see them 

 all a-guzzle, their black necks down as they advance, tearing up and devouring the 

 trailing blades of sea-grass. For some two hours they will remain intent on breakfast ; 

 then one will see little parties going off to drink, splash, and preen in the nearest 

 channel. The mid-day interlude follows, when, should the weather be mild, the whole 

 company indulge for a few hours in rest and play, chasing one another till the water 

 flies, while the volume of sound is a thing to be remembered ; not even parliaments are 

 in it with wild geese. Towards afternoon they are hungry again, and feed with desperate 

 energy as the sun lowers to ' take the hill/ for then they know that the time is at hand 

 when they must clear out in one great sonorous host — all bands playing — bound for the 

 open sea." 



I find the most varied attempts made by different authors to represent phonetically 

 the call of this goose, but although I have often heard the cry of migrating flocks, I cannot 

 undertake to express it in syllables. It differs greatly from the notes of all the species not 

 possessing black feet, and is perhaps softer, more melodious, and less loud than in the 

 white-fronted or yellow-billed groups ; but from the number of individuals in a flock there 

 arises a chaotic ceaseless din so characteristic that, once heard, will not be forgotten. 

 Some compare the notes of a flock of brent on the wing with those of a pack of hounds 

 in full cry, and perhaps with some justice. I was once at early dawn very near (some 

 200 paces) a flock of about two thousand of these geese, flying towards my boat. 

 I was already approaching the shelter prepared beforehand on the lake, and had only 

 15 or 20 paces yet to row, when this mass of birds in full clang began to descend upon 

 me, evidently with the view of alighting at the very same spot. My heart beat quicker as 



