A fine-conditioned gander weighs from ts are not well supplied with it. t 3 inches from tip to tip of the wings when spread, so that it The sexes are so nearly alike in colouring that they winters in which the London marke to SIX pounds, and measures about 4 fee Bean- and Grey-Lag Geese. i c - ‘ e ] a b rar st a ha cact Vv | | lit 4 both have the black interrupted bars on the breast, a character which differs five ‘s a smaller bird than the are scarcely distinguishable ; ve considerably in extent in different individuals. illi i mes f this species that it would seem to be far less plentiful in Macgillivray gives so meé gre an account o an a Sir William Jardine has met with it in Dumfriesshire ant the Edinburgh «it arrives in Morayshire from its breeding-quarters in the arctic and northern regions about the middle of October in small companies of irom six to ae if left tolerablly ts regularly the same swamp or piece of marsh till the end of April, feeding on aquatic Scotland than in England ; market, and St. John says that undisturbed, frequen ; heat. It is ; ; spring frequently grazing on the young clover or green wheat. AtuS Gree spring Yt g jlants, and in the ' r gt | | . and he “has often seen it feeding in small hollows and spots easily approach than any other wild goose ;” : ; hac : vot at, where the Bean-Goose would never trust itself. Its cry is very loud and pecu EH sometimes a anienilly resembling the loud laugh of a human being, whence its trivial name of * Laughing Goose.” Sir John Richardson mentions that the Indians of the American fur-countries imitate this sound by patting the mouth with their hand, while they repeat the syllable wah.” Mr. Thompson informs us that it “is a regular winter visitant to Ireland, where, as in Great Britain, it is, next to the Bean-Goose, the species most frequently met with, and is brought during the season of every year to the Dublin market.” a? Mr. Selby remarks that “ this species varies from the Bean-Goose in preferring low and marshy districts rather than the upland and drier haunts affected by that bird, and in such localities subsists on aquatic grasses, being very seldom seen to frequent corn- or stubble-fields.” A specimen seut to him which had been killed near Alnwick, in Northumberland, “ had its stomach gorged with the tender shoots and leaves of the common clover (Zrifolium pratense), upon which it had been feeding on the termination of a severe snow- storm.” The bird also feeds on the leaves of turnips, beetles, other insects, and their larvae. Its flight is described as vigorous, and its gait on the ground as characterized by grace, rapidity, and ease. When a flock proceeds to auy distance, the birds of which it is composed keep in single file. The White-fronted Goose is not known to breed in a wild state in any part of our islands ; and a pair in the.Gardens of the Zoological Society in the Regent’s Park brought forth their brood from one of the islands to which they were restricted, and showed great anxiety for their safety. The egg is pale buffy white, about 2 inches and 10 lines in length by 1 inch and 11 lines in breadth. Speaking of this bird, as seen in Norfolk, Mr. Stevenson says :— ‘This species, which is never observed in very large flocks, can scarcely be called a regular winter visitant, . et ept in severe weather. As an exception, however, to this rule, in the mild lia An ee Te Bcese re Bhat in different parts of the county ; and on the 20th ey oe a ee Reine a Ge ee amongst other fowl, of two couple and a half from Blakeney, was sent up to Norwich the axing ca) An Ae ae Pa eae ane ae White a Geese, from the markings on the breast Bed hide tly ¢ ' ce ae 6 she Ma wee times,’ although, as already beiinbiea: fhe se : : 5 adult ; but their poor condition seemed to indicate ‘ hard J ) er was then unusually mild with us, and continued so up to the From Mr. Dowell’s notes for the same year (1851) I find that on the 18th of December he saw a flock of some twenty White-fronted Geese at Holkham, and on the same day he received a fine specimen which had been killed at Blakeney. This goose is considered by Lord Leicester rare at Holkh xcept in hard weather, when it commonly appears in flocks of from five to ten ; a asier of am than others; but singularly enough, during the severe winter of ] ; me, was not seen at all at Holkham; and . single 18th of Fy bruary, was the onl ‘ being rarely seen in our markets, exc following February. and, being less shy, is easier of approach 870-71 this species, as Lord Leicester informs : en adult bird which I purchased in the Norwich market, on the example the . i , : = j iple see came under my notice during that inclement season. Y own note-b c sine dF é : : ae ne since 1854, have been all killed during sharp frosts, between V= sD agrees w *s [Tint . 7 eee ik, ce with: Hunt 8 description of this species, that ‘ they visit the fenny parts of J . e Mn In West Norfolk, according to Mr. Lubbock, a good many White- : Ss served wit . 4 Sas eRe 2s : footed. Blakeney and Holkhain have | ‘tre Bean-, or, as now distinguished, more probably with the Pink- the brackish waters of Saifhouse _ ; fan already mentioned as localities where it is occasionally remarked; and : vi se wou 29nd of ae Ss, as a fine old bird in my own collection was the month of October. 1850. ae had one sent him from the same place so early as “eae y aget deserj , +S ayevernee ickli Broad appears to | e resort in sharp we de them as occasionally seen on Breydon ;’ and Hickling procured “The few recorded in December and Februar fronted Geese are sometime seem to have attraction ec 1866, and Mr. Dowell Che Messrs. Pp killed there on the e a favourit “The majority of Specimens only partially aissumed,”’ ather, are in immatur , i ature plumage, the bars on the breast being either wanting or F r fawn awe Artin ‘ or further particulars as to the localities in Norfolk j S K in venson’s third volume is about half the Natural size : size ; Pathe which this bird has been procured, I must refer on the birds of that county. the young to my friend Ste Che front firure birds somewhat less than life.