382 
ANATIM. 
NAT A TORES. 
A NATI D JR. 
GREY LAG GOOSE. 
Anser ferus. 
PLATE CVIII. FIG. II. 
The eggs of the Grey Lag and of the bean goose are 
so perfectly alike, that I have drawn but one figure to 
represent them both. We had the pleasure of finding a 
nest of the Grey Lag Goose upon the centre of one of 
the numerous small islands which cover the Norwegian 
Sea: the island was within a short distance of the arctic 
circle, and was like the very many which we visited, low, 
flat, and varied with patches of bare rock, and tufts of 
coarse grass, with pools of fresh water, and not exceeding 
a few yards in diameter. The nest was formed of a con¬ 
siderable quantity of coarse dry grass, thickly lined with 
feathers, and contained three eggs, quite fresh; one of 
which, from the pure whiteness of its shell, had evidently 
been laid that morning. This was in the beginning of 
June, and two months after the usual time of breeding ; 
but is readily accounted for by the unremitting persecu¬ 
tion which every species of bird experiences, even in 
these remote districts. Parties scour the islands periodi¬ 
cally, and plunder them of every egg ; frequently destroy¬ 
ing even those which have been too much set upon for 
their use, in order to secure to themselves fresh ones only 
on their next visit. One of these parties had, unluckily, 
