HKHNICLE GOOSE — lUiENT GOOSE. 
227 
the skin of a white-fronted goose, shot from about filly in 
Xorwick Ikiy, in the spring of 1862, at which time considerable 
numbers were seen in tlie more sheltered voes in Yell and 
Mainland, and many were shot. The inhabitants looked upon 
their arrival as something quite unprecedented. 
THE BEENICLE GOOSE. 
Anscr Uncoims. 
In the first week of July 1854 I observed an example of 
this unmistakable species upon the shore at Balta Sound. No 
other authentic instance of its occurrence in Shetland has come 
to my knowledge. 
[We had a long and careful study of it with a telescope from 
behind a wall at less than a hundred yards distance, watching 
it until it was driven away by a party of skuas. It was feeding 
upon the fiats near Skibhoul. — E d.] 
THE BEENT GOOSE. 
Anser Brent a. 
The Brent Goose we can generally depend upon seeing at 
least once every autumn, usually after rough weather from the 
south ; but it seems very little inclined to yjroceed as far as 
the north isles. It has, however, been shot pretty frequently 
in Unst, where it appears singly or in very scanty numbers. 
Sometimes I have met with it feeding among the rocks at ebl> 
tide, or upon the quiet voes, early in the morning ; but in those 
situations it is always difficult to approach. Occasionally 
they alight and feed among tame geese, when they may easily 
be walked up to and shot as they rise. In the evening they 
generally fly low, except when bent upon a distant expedition. 
I remember one evening seeing a small flock upon the sands, 
where I had several times vainly endeavoured to get a shot at 
them. My whole stock of shot being exhausted, I foolishly, 
it must be confessed, dropped a thick steel watch-guard upon 
