244 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



mandible backward under nares and along tomium almost to gaps, 

 in some upper mandible entirely yellow with only small black patch 

 on culmen, nail variable, black, in some entirely white, in one half 

 white and half black, lower mandible orange-pink with rami black 

 at base ; bill (juv.) blackish with band of yellow behind nail or in 

 some yellow except for blackish patch at sides, blackish mark on top 

 of culmen and area round nostrils, nail black streaked yellow, anterior 

 half of under mandible including intercrural space yellow, rest black ; 

 legs and feet (ad.) yellow-orange of varying intensity, claws black; 

 legs and feet (juv.) dingy yellow or greyish-yellow ; iris brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — A. f. serrirostris (breeding prob- 

 ably Anadyr and Kolyma delta) is larger than A. f. fabalis with 

 thicker bill ; A. f. sibiricus (N. Siberia east of Taimyr Peninsula) is 

 like last but bill longer and more slender. For distinctions of 

 A. brachyrhynchus see under that species. Dark ash-brown wing- 

 coverts with brownish -white tips and black nail distinguish A. 

 fabalis from other British " Grey " Geese. 



Field-characters. — Smaller than Grey Lag and altogether darker, 

 showing no pale fore-wing. Bill as large as in Grey Lag but dark 

 at tip and base with a central band (varying much) of orange. No 

 white frontal band and so distinguished from A. albifrons. Note 

 described by fowlers of experience as distinguishable from that of 

 Grey Lag but my less critical ear has failed to realize any difference. 

 (A. Chapman.) 



Breeding-habits. — Main haunts in more wooded districts than 

 most Geese. Nest. — On islets in rivers or swamps, sheltered by rank 

 vegetation and sometimes by willow or other bushes, and composed 

 of down mixed with grass, moss, etc. Eggs. — 4-5, occasionally 6, 

 white, but stained as incubation advances. Average of 51 eggs, 

 84.2x55.6. Max. : 91x57.2 and 84x59. Min. : 74.5x53.3 mm. 

 Breeding -season. — June and early in July (in high north). Incuba- 

 tion. — Presumably by female but reliable details lacking. Single- 

 brooded. 



Food. — Cordeaux says it is very partial to grain of all kinds, as 

 well as beans, but will also eat grass and clover, but Saunders says 

 it is decidedly herbivorous, and its name due to confusion with 

 graminivorous Pink-footed Goose. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Winter-visitor, early Oct.-early 

 Nov. to March. Widely but not abundantly distributed, generally 

 more frequent on west than east coasts Great Britain. Only one 

 authentic example O. Hebrides (S. Uist, March, 1903), very rare 

 extreme north Scottish mainland, occurrence in Orkneys and Shet- 

 lands not proved but once Fair Isle, Jan., 1913. In Ireland very 

 scarce in south, but more numerous west and midlands, especially 

 in severe winters. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Nests north of about latitude 64° in 

 Scandinavia, Finland, Kola, N. Russia, Kolguev, Novaya Zemlia 



