232 О. HELMS. 
The two skins sent home appear to belong to the American race 
of the White-fronted Goose А. а. gambelli Hartl., which varies from 
the main form by having rather darker colours and more spots on 
the underside, and by being rather bigger. Besides the coast of North 
America it is also found breeding in West Greenland, principally from 
lat. 66 to 69° N. It is otherwise only mentioned once from East Green- 
land, Finsch having categorised it from some quills brought home. 
BRENT GOOSE (Branta bernicla Hrota О. Е. Müller). 
Knortesaas. Е. Gr.: Nerdlek. 
As a breeding bird the Brent Goose is not found at Angmagsalik; 
but among all the species of geese this is the one that appears in greatest 
number and with the greatest regularity on the way to and from its 
breeding place farthest north. The regularity with which it appears 
spring and autumn, each time within a very short period, at other 
times of the year quite exceptionally, is remarkable. It usually appears 
about May 10th, and is then seen occasionally until about May 20th; 
it appears again in the first half of September, and is often seen until 
the end of the month; in October a few are sometimes seen. Except 
in these three months it is not seen, although it has been met with 
once or twice in June. 
Both spring and autumn it is found on the water, walking on 
land, often about the very houses, and flying over — sometimes in 
large numbers. Where their direction of flight has been indicated it 
has, in the spring, been from east to west or north-west; in the autumn 
the opposite. Both spring and autumn a number of Brent geese are 
shot, and among the feathered game the species is one of those which 
play an important part to the Europeans living at Angmagsalik. 
As to its appearance in the spring and the autumn there is the 
following data :— 
1896, May 12th. Today a number observed migrating past the station. 
1896, May 13th. Large numbers seen today, some flying, some sitting 
on the ice. 
1898, May 11th. A flock sat on the edge of the ice at Tasiusak. 
1900, May 12th. Both yesterday and today I have seen large and 
small flocks flying past the station. 
1902, May 11th. Today I heard a flock of geese pass here, but could 
not see them owing to the thick fog. 
1903, May 11th. Today saw a flock of geese flying eastwards. 
1905, May 6th. From visitors from Cape Dan I heard that yesterday 
and the day before a number of geese were seen there; these 
were apparently Brent geese. 
