234 
ALLEN'S naturalist’s LIBRARY. 
goslings. As neither young nor old birds are able to fly, these 
flocks proceed at a walking pace, and at these times numbers 
fall victims to the Samoyeds, who depend largely on their store 
of these birds for their winter food. Mr. Seebohm met with 
one of these flocks on the Petchora. “ At least a hundred old 
geese, and quite as many young, perhaps twice or thrice that 
number, were marching like a regiment of soldiers. The van- 
guard, consisting of old birds, was half-way across the stream, 
whilst the goslings brought up the rear, and were running down 
the steep bank to the water’s edge as fast as their legs could 
carry them. The green grassy banks of the river, where the 
Geese had evidently been feeding, were strewn with feathers, 
and in five minutes I picked up a large handful of quills. They 
were evidently migrating to the interior of the tundra, moulting 
as they went along. On the following day, our stock of pro- 
visions being entirely e.xhausted, we sent a foraging party after 
this flock of Geese, who met with them a few versts higher up 
the river, and secured eleven old birds and five goslings. Most 
of the Geese were in full moult and unable to fly, and both old 
and young made for the water, attempting to conceal them- 
selves by diving.” 
Nest. — A slight hollow scraped in the soil and lined with 
dead grass, moss, sometimes a few feathers, and always plenty 
of the light grey down of the bird itself {Seehohm). 
Eggs. — Three, sometimes four in number ; creamy-white, or 
yellowish-buff when stained, and with scarcely any gloss. Axis, 
2'9,'5-3'4 inches ; diam., 2'i5. 
IV. THE PINK-FOOTED GOOSE. ANSER ERACHYRHYNCHUS. 
Anser brachyrhynchus, Baillon, Mem. de la Soc. Roy. d’Em. 
d’Abbev. 1833, P- 741 Macg. Br. B. iv. p. 602 (1852): 
Dresser, B. Eur. vi. p. 369, pi. 413 (1878) ; B. O. U. List 
Br. B. p. 116; Saunders, ed. Yarr. iv. p. 270 (1885) . 
Seebohm, Br. B. iii. p. 498 (1885) ; Saunders, Man. p. 391 
(1889) ; Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. partxxv. (1893) ; Salvad 
Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 103 (1S95). 
Anser ses;eiuni brachyrhynchus, Seebohm, Brit. B. iii. p. 498 
(1885). 
Adult Male. — Similar to A. fabalis, and, like that speeies. 
