GllEY LAG. 
383 
Just preceded us, thus rendering hopeless our chance of 
procuring eggs, of which we were in search. 
We y rere told by those annually in the habit of taking 
the eggs of this species, that they usually amount to four 
or five. We repeatedly saw the old birds passing from 
one island to another, but always wary and unapproach¬ 
able. 
It is the Grey Lag Goose, and not the bean goose, as 
has been erroneously believed, which breeds in the north 
of Scotland. Mr. Wolley says, “I believe it to be the 
only species of goose which has been in the habit of spend¬ 
ing the breeding season in Great Britain, formerly in 
great numbers in the southern part of the island. During 
several seasons I have made particular inquiries of the 
most competent persons at those breeding places in Suther- 
landshire where the bean goose has been said to be found ; 
and the descriptions of the only kind of goose known by 
them to breed in the country have always been referable 
to the Grey Lag. Everywhere I examined the bird with 
a glass, and in several instances shot specimens, and 
all I saw or obtained were Grey Lag. The Grey Lag 
chooses various kinds of places for its nest. I have seen in 
Sutherlandshire nests on the open moor, but not very far 
from a loch, and again within two or three feet of the 
water's edge, but generally they are on islets either in the 
sea or in fresh water. It would be difficult to find any¬ 
thing more beautiful than the little islets in some of the 
highland lochs to the lover of nature in general, but to 
an ornithologist they are surpassingly so. None have 
made greater impression upon me than two on a retired 
piece of water in Sutherlandshire ; they were very small, 
rising up somewhat steeply, and were covered with long 
heather and other plants bedded in the most luxuriant 
moss. In each were two or three little trees, and in each 
c c 
