THE BRENT GOOSE . 257 



Characters and allied forms. — In B. b. nigricans (west N. 

 America, arctic Siberia) adult and first winter have pronounced 

 white collar nearly meeting on nape, lower-breast and belly sooty- 

 brown, in juvenile collar is nearly obsolete, feathers of sides of neck 

 only having white tips, under-parts darker. Uniform black head 

 distinguishes B. bernicla in all plumages from its near allies. 



Field -characters. — An unmistakable characteristic distinguishing 

 this from every other British Wild Goose is that it is exclusively 

 marine. Brents recorded inland are either (1) mistaken identity, 

 or (2) merely accidental wanderers, lost in fog, or otherwise, or 

 (3) wounded (a single Brent is invariably a pricked bird). Brent 

 weighs less than half its grey half -cousins and is far darker ; its 

 head, neck and shoulders sooty-black and whole upper surface deep 

 slate-grey. Its note is a series of delightfully wild discords and bi- 

 tones that have been compared with " hounds in full cry " — and I 

 can't improve on that. (A. Chapman.) 



Breeding-habits. — In Spitsbergen group nests in scattered pairs 

 on islands, occasionally several breeding together, but also on 

 mainland. Nest. — Heap of vegetable matter, moss, grasses, saxifrage 

 stems, etc., but sometimes no extraneous matter, lined down as 

 incubation proceeds (sometimes in middle of Eider -Duck colony) . 

 Eggs. — Usually 4, sometimes 3 only or 5, rarely 6. Nests with 7 

 and 8 eggs also recorded. Creamy or yellowish with smooth, thin 

 shell. Average of 38 eggs, 72.5 X 47.9. Max. : 81.1 X 49.4 and 77 X 

 51.3. Min. : 65.3x47.5 and 69.4x45.3 mm. Breeding -season. — 

 .From beginning June in Spitsbergen, but chiefly about mid-June, 

 and last half June in Grinnell Land. Incubation. — By female alone, 

 male keeping guard. Period about 4 weeks but not precisely known. 

 Single -brooded. 



Food. — On breeding-grounds grass, algae, moss and stalks and leaves 

 of arctic plants (Eriophorum, Ranunculus, Cerastium, Oxyria and 

 Saxifraga). Roemer and Schaudinn also record mussels in stomach. 

 In winter feeds largely on Zostera marina : also Viva latissima and 

 grasses. Young feed on Grarnineae and Oxyria (Le Hoi). 



Distribution. —British Isles. — Winter -visit or, mid-Sept., occasion- 

 ally earlier — mid-Nov. to March-April. Most numerous and regular 

 east coast Scotland from Dornoch Firth southwards, east and south 

 coasts England, and all coasts Ireland, where, however, scarcer on 

 south coast. Generally scarce and somewhat irregular on most of 

 west coast Great Britain, and western Isles, Scotland, but in parts of 

 Clyde flocks annually. Rare visitor Orkneys, and in Shetlands 

 chiefly known as passage-migrant. Very rare inland. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds from Taimyr Peninsula in northern 

 Siberia to Kolguev and Spitsbergen (once recorded Jan Mayen) and 

 in America from western Greenland to Parry Is. On migration 

 through north Russia and Norway to coasts of North Sea, Holland, 

 Belgium, France, south to Portugal, Marocco, Egypt, in America 

 vol. n. s 



