THE BEAN GOOSE. 
65 
they here suffer more disturbance ; according to the 
keeper’s account, from tliirty to forty pairs breed 
annually, and on inspecting the situation of the 
nests, we found many of them placed near each 
other on the small islands, often near the shore, and 
among heather at least three feet in length. In 
Ireland the Bean Goose is considered as a frequent 
winter visitant. In Central and Southern Europe 
it is also migratory; in Northern Europe it breeds, 
and was met with by Mr. Hewitson near the arctic 
circle, during his excursion for the benefit of his 
Oology. The nest was found on one of the numer- 
ous islands which cover the Norwegian sea ; these 
are visited by the natives of the neighbouring coasts 
for the sake of the eggs, and the birds, even in those 
remote regions, are much persecuted. We do not 
know, however, what the extent of its extra- 
European range may be, and have no trace of it 
from Asia or Africa; and though met with by 
Hewitson near to the arctic circle, it is neither 
mentioned in the reports of any of the northern 
voyagers, — in the “Northern Zoology,” nor by 
Audubon as American, while in the “ Comparative 
List,” Anser Canadensis is placed as its opposite 
representative. 
The Bean Goose has lately bred in confinement 
in the collection of the Ornithological Society in 
London. 
In our own collection we possess two specimens 
of Geese, agreeing in size and colouring, but show- 
ing the differences in the outline and size of the bill, 
E 
