THE BRENT GOOSE. 
61 
fell at one shot. Fifteen were at the same time obtained at a 
shot, in Larne Lough, by another fowler. In Strangford Lough, 
the person first alluded to, procured twenty-three at one discharge 
of his swivel-gun, in the winter of 1843 ; in January 1848, thirty 
were thus laid low, twenty-five only of which were bagged, as the 
great black-backed, and herring gulls secured their share of those 
which fell wounded or dead at a distance. Above thirty lay upon 
the water after a shot by him there, in December, that year, 
though only twenty-three were picked up, as it was growing dark 
at the time, and the wounded, hurrying to rough water, escaped. 
Twenty-six wigeon were bagged by him from one shot, the 
same week. Thirty- two brent geese have been obtained at a shot 
in Larne Lough. Shooters waiting at night on the borders of 
this lough until the flowing tide brings wigeon within shot of 
them, have occasionally killed brent geese, thus brought within 
range. In the winter of 1842-43, Buckle (well-known to the 
readers of Colonel Hawker’s work on Shooting) killed twenty-five 
of these birds at a shot with his punt-gun in Dingle Bay, Kerry. 
Winged brent geese flock together, and it is difficult to sepa- 
rate them. Those struck by the shot from a swivel-gun, no matter 
how far apart, swim towards each other, and move off in a flock, 
which is not easily broken up. When they become so by a chace 
from a boat, or otherwise, as many as can succeed in keeping toge- 
ther still do so. They hasten to the deep water when wounded, 
and never attempt to dive until the last , extremity, such as being 
struck at with an oar. They are indifferent divers, and remain 
but a short time under water. When disabled birds were much fired 
at with the old flint locks they dived from the flash of the pan. 
The food contained in brent geese from the loughs of Larne, 
Belfast, and Strangford, examined by myself, was always Zostera, 
of which were portions of the leaf from one to two feet in length, 
as well as of the root : in addition to the plant there was always 
sand. An observant shooter and bird-preserver,* who has looked 
to the food in a considerable number of these geese, never found 
* Mr. Darragh. ; to whom I am indebted for various particulars respecting the 
brent goose. 
