THE TRUE GEESE. 
229 
rump. The flesh-coloured bill and feet are also character- 
istic. 
Eange in Great Britain.— Although formerly nesting in Lin- 
colnshire, the breeding-places of this Goose are now confined 
to Scotland, where it still rears its young in Ross, Caithness, 
and Sutherland, as well as in the Hebrides, where it is still 
abundant on some of the outer isles. It is not mentioned 
by Mr. Ussher as a breeding-species in Ireland. In winter 
the Grey Lag-Goose occurs in flocks in other localities in 
Great Britain, but seldom on either the east or west coast of 
Kngland. 
Eange outside tlie British Islands. — To the southern counties of 
Europe this species only comes as a winter visitor, but in 
Russia, and locally in Central and Northern Europe, it is 
generally distributed in summer. In Siberia its place is taken 
by a nearly allied species, A. rubrirostns of Hodgson, which 
winters in India and China, d his, according to Count Sal- 
vadori, is a somewhat larger bird, with heavier bill and feet, 
and has more black on the under-parts— poor characters for 
separation, but from the series in the British Museum I am 
able to say that they are fairly well marked. The bill is 
said by Dr. Radde to be flesh-coloured, but with the base of 
the upper mandible bright red, in the eastern form. 
Hahits.— Many people think that the name of “Grey-lag,” 
as it is generally written, is a vernacular corruption of “ Grey- 
leg,” which, as the bird has flesh-coloured feet, would be a 
misnomer ; but it is now recognised that the name should be 
written Grey “ Lag-Goose,” indicating the goose that “lagged” 
behind to breed "in the fens of Lincolnshire in former times. 
When unmolested, the present species feeds all day, retiring at 
night-time to secluded places on the sea-shore, or wherever 
it can rest without molestation. Its food consists of various 
water-plants, grass, and grain, in pursuit of which it is to be 
found on stubble-lands. The curious feature which is com- 
mon to most Geese, of a very rapid moult, renders the birds 
practically defenceless at this period of their existence, and 
they then either hide themselves when inland, or take to the 
water for protection from assault wfiien they are no longer 
able to fly. At other times they fly strongly and well, and 
