BERNICLA BRENTA. 
Brent Goose. 
Anas bernicla, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 40. 
Anser bernicla, 111. Prod. Syst. Manun. et Av., p. 277 
— torquatus, Frisch, Vog. Deutschl., tom. ii. p. 156. 
brenta, Leach, Syst. Cat. of Indig. Mamm. and Birds in Brit. Mus., p. 37. 
Bernicla torquata, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 363. 
melanopsis, Macgill. Man. of Nat. Hist., Orn., vol. ii. p. 151 
brenta, Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xii. p. 46. 
To see this species in a state of nature, the ornithologist must go down, during November and the 
three following months, to the embouchure of the Thames, visit the inland waters of Southampton, the 
low salt marshes of the coasts of Sussex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, or any locality of a similar character 
in other parts of England, in Scotland, and in Ireland. Companies of forty, fifty, or sixty individuals 
will there attract his attention as they wing their way from one part of the flat shallow estuary to 
another ; or he may have an opportunity of seeing flights of hundreds or, speaking within bounds, of 
thousands ; yet the London excursionist to Herne Bay, Margate, or Ramsgate will never see one, for 
the simple reason that, at the period of the year when those places are resorted to, the bird is far 
aAvay, performing the duties of incubation in countries so distant that, with few exceptions, the hardiest 
of our mariners and the most enthusiastic of egg-collectors have failed to reach its breeding-home — 
a long distance within the Arctic circle being, doubtless, the principal cradle of this common winter- 
bird with us. In the eastern parts of America it is as numerous in Avinter as in our islands, and 
equally scarce at other times, but, according to Dr. Baird, of Washington, has not yet been found 
on the Pacific side of that continent. 
During the summer months, the Brent Goose is to be met with at the Faroe Islands, and in 
Iceland, Avhere, according to Faber, it arrives about the middle of April, but seems to be rare, as 
it is only met with occasionally here and there throughout the island. Dr. Richardson states that it 
breeds in numbers on the coasts and islands of Hudson’s Bay and the Arctic Sea, but is rarely seen 
in the interior. Captain James C. Ross says that it did not remain near Felix Harbour, Boothia, to 
breed, but went still further north, and that it is to be met with in summer in the highest northern 
latitudes that have been visited. It Avas found breeding on Parry’s Islands, in lat. 74° 75'. In Parry’s 
Expedition, on the 16th of June, a nest with two eggs Avas brought on board from Ross Islet, 
lat. 80° 48' N., perhaps the most northern lan^ ever visited by man. It was at the same time seen 
in large flocks about Walden and Little Table Islands. Mr. NeAvton informs us that it is numerous all 
round Spitsbergen, except perhaps on the east side, and that “ Dr. Malmgren found it breeding on 
the Depot Holm and also on the shores of the mainland, in Treurenberg Bay; Messrs. Evans and 
Sturge found it breeding on the South-Cape Islands ; and one of our party killed a young bird, 
hardly able to fly, on Round Island.” That the bird is confined to the northern regions there can 
be no doubt ; and it would seem that the Mediterranean is the limit of its occurrence in a southern 
direction, since Loche states that it only occasionally appears in Algeria. 
Let us return to own islands. “ Upon the Northumbrian coast,” says Mr. Selby, “ a very large number 
of these birds annually resort to the extensive muddy and sandy flats that lie between the mainland and 
Holy Island, and Avhich are covered by every flow of the tide. In this locality, tolerable-sized flocks 
usually make their appearance in the early part of October, Avhich are increased by the repeated arrival 
of others till the beginning of November, at which time the equatorial movement of the species in this 
latitude seems to be completed. This part of the coast appears to haA^e been a favourite resort of these 
birds from time immemorial, where they have always received the name of TFai-e Geese, given to them, 
without doubt, in consequence of their food consisting entirely of marine vegetables. This I have 
frequently verified by dissection, finding the gizzard filled with the leaves and stems of a species of 
grass that grows abundantly in the shallow pools left by the tide, and Avith the remains of the fronds 
of the different algae, particularly of one, which seems to be the Laver {Ulm latissima). These were 
mixed Avith a considerable quantity of sharp sand, but without any portion of animal or shelly matter, 
although Wilson states they feed occasionally upon small univalve and bivalve mollusca. In this haunt 
they remain until the end of February, Avhen they migrate in successive flocks as the individuals 
happen to be influenced by the season ; and before April the Avhole have disappeared. When they 
depart, the flock about to migrate rises high into the air by an extensive spiral course, and then moves 
