68 THE BEAN GOOSE. 
the winter; and in the northernmost portions of Norway, 
Sweden, and Russia they breed. They occur in Iceland on the 
one hand, in Madeira on the other and throughout Northern 
Africa, but they have not apparently been observed in 
Egypt on the North-East, though, as they occur in Asia Minor 
and Palestine, they will probably, sooner or later, be met with 
in Lower Egypt also. They are found on the Caspian and 
in Turkestan, (where Severtzoff separated the particular large 
form he met with as mzddendorf,) throughout Siberia, (in 
the northern portions of which they breed), in China (where 
Pere David says, they are the commonest species of Goose 
that visits that country,) and in Japan. 
OF THE habits of this species we can say little. Those of 
the sub-group do not differ appreciably elsewhere from those 
of the Grey Lags, and as for any peculiarities in the particular 
species or sub-species that visits India, we have yet to find out 
which this is. Dresser, who treats them all as one species, says :— 
“Except that this Goose is said to affect more inland locali- 
ties, it differs but little in habits from its allies. With us 
in England it appears in the late autumn, and remains on our 
coast for the winter, usually flying tolerably far inland to feed, 
and returning to the coast in the evening. These birds are 
extremely cautious, and carefully examine the surrounding coun- 
try before they alight ; and even then they post a sentinel, who 
gives notice directly there is the least sign of any danger. They 
usually feed in large open fields or pastures, and eat tender grass, 
young wheat, and other plants, as well as grain and the roots 
of various sorts of grasses. 
“The Bean Goose swims with ease, and sits buoyantly on the 
water ; but it rises on the wing rather heavily, and its flight is 
not very swift, though direct and steady. Its cry, though harsh 
when uttered close to one, is by no means unpleasant when 
heard at a distance, and does not differ much from the call of 
the other Geese. It not unfrequently flies and feeds at night; 
but, as a rule, it prefers to feed at early dawn.” 
So Too of the nidification we can say nothing precise. Dresser_ 
remarks :— 
“This Goose certainly breeds in North Finland, but I never 
succeeded in finding its nest. A forester, who had taken its 
eggs, told me that it does not in the least differ from the Grey 
Lag in breeding habits, and, like that species, makes its nest in 
some marshy locality. Mr. Aschan found it breeding in North- 
ern Savolax, and says, that on the 15th June he came across a 
brood of six or seven young ones with the two old birds, ona 
small brook in a forest above Hankalampi Trask, and caught two 
of the former, which he reared. Late in July these birds were 
