﻿PINK-LEGGED BEAN GOOSE. 13 



in Holland, in the winters of 1829 and 1830, and subse- 

 quently in 1838 ; at all which times they appeared in very 

 small numbers, travelling apart from other species. 



M. de Lamotte d'Abbeville has kept for some years in 

 his farm-yard, according to the statement of M. Temminck, 

 three individuals of this species, in company with the grey 

 lag goose, the orange-legged bean goose, and the white- 

 fronted goose, but they shew no disposition to associate 

 with any of their neighbours, forming always a separate 

 group. The same isolated habits have been observed in 

 the individuals of this species that have been kept in the 

 Zoological Gardens, and in St. James's Park. Although 

 seldom making its appearance in this part of Britain in 

 a wild state, this species seems well known among the 

 Scottish islands, being found at all times of the year in 

 numbers, as before mentioned, among the Hebrides. 



In the small islands in the Sound of Harris, according 

 to Mr. J. Macgillivray, these birds breed annually in great 

 numbers. They appear in pairs about the middle of May, 

 and at the end of July the young are fully fledged and 

 strong on the wing. By the beginning of August they 

 collect again in flocks, amounting, according to that gentle- 

 man, to several hundreds, and remain, doubtless, in flocks 

 until the spring again calls them to participate in the 

 separate duties of the season. 



The egg of this species is considerably less in bulk than 

 that of the grey lag goose, or the orange-legged bean goose, 

 especially in its transverse measurement ; it differs also 

 much in colour, being white without any tinge of yellow. 



From various continental authors, who appear well ac- 

 quainted with this species, we gather that the Pink-legged 

 Geese reside during the summer months in the northern 

 and north-eastern parts of Europe and Asia, as well as in 



