ANSEB. A L B 1 F R 0N S .
4.NSER ALBIFRONS.
White-fronted Goose
The White-iron ted lioose is a regular winter, visitor to she »ritisii islands, it is i
• ••¡e north ; but from what particular regions vis not known with certainty. Mr.
Faher’s observations that at least a few summer in Iceland, by stating that on th
saw several freshly killed examples at Reykjavik, in that country ; and Reinhardt ini
Greenland. Lapland is also said to be frequented by it : but this is certainly not tli
remarks that the only White-fronted Goose he met with in that country was tl
Mr. Newton believes to be the true Anas (Anset) erythropiu o f Linneeus, and for
name, while they have none for A . aUnfrom ; be was a|so of opinion that Nilsson is in error
it a place in the fauna o f Sweden, and in stating that it is the common.Fell Goose of that "
regards Norway, however, Messrs. F. and P. Godssan affirm that they frequently saw flocks <
to ten feeding in the pools and creeks o f the marsh near Bodo, in Norway, from which thpj
towards the end o f May ; but those gentlemen make no mention o f A . giythropus, and possibly t
saw belonged to that species.
Sir John Richardson States that tit spring White-fronted Gce-sc' pass through the interio
countries o f America in large flocks to their breediiig-places in the woody districts skirting tli
to the north o f the sixty-seventh parallel, and also the islands oi the Arctic Sea ; but whether
have reference’ to our bird or the American«rWhich is now regarded as different, and named A
is a question I cannot determine. Their migration southwards commences 111 September; air
to thè fur-districts is often M||8r first indication of winter having begun within the Arctic
Kngland (he A . albifrota arrives in September and October, occasionally appearing ¡11 very
and departs again in March and April to its breeding-hautttst In like manner, and at the sai
is very generally dispersed over the southern portions o f the European continent ; and tner
movements take place. Temminclçjstates that it is very common in Holland during its autum
but is less numerous in Germany and the interior of France. Ivord Lilford found it to fc
winter in Epirus and continental G«*c«; The Bussimi uaturalist Menetries says that, at the
it appears in considerable flocks in the neighbourhood o f the Caspian Sea, particularly near F
neighbouring lakes, where it passes the winter, and departs towards the end o f February. l)r
states that it is the most common Goose on the Nile, and is usually seen in vast flocks at davbt
to the shallows from feeding all night in the wheat-fields, but decreases southwards, and
beyond the marsh at Edfoo. The same gentleman elsewhere states that this bird is a. winter
lakes and rivers ó f the Punjab. In China, according to Mr, Swinhoe, it forms part of the w
rablc in the markets o f Shanghai and .Tjput^ 1 1 5 and be has also met with it between Takoo
North China; and, lastly, Temmiuck affirms that examples from Japan are exactly like our o'
I have been favoured by several kind friends with some fine exatople&of this Goose for th
o f this work. The Earl o f Enniskillen sent me' a pai«?-;from Irelanq-J and the Earl of I
kindly obtaining permission from Lord Fitzbardinge foi? '/examples to be forwarded to
Lordship’s estate in Gloucestershire, transmitted the following notés—“ When you are v.
Wild Geese, you ought to hear something'of those freqaentiug the Severn, and their habits ■
fiats belonging to Lord Fitzhardinge. The spot is about teU-jjtyiiles from here (Tortworth C
under-Edge). There the Geese are regularly preserved, and the shooting o f them affords g
have been out the only two days o f shooting thig.year, and on each day we killed nine. They
feeding on the grass, and about noon are driven :over towards, the guns, which are posted betr
the Severn. They then betake themselves to the mud flats, and when hungry attempt to ge
meadows again. By this time the guns are posted under hedges at right angles to their p.
flight ; and as they come over, in flocks o f varying size, shots are fired with long guns at
seventy yards distance. The whole system is, I believe, unique in tjiis country. The Geese a
23rd or 25th o f September, are never known to be two days later, and generally leave again
of November. The White-fronted are not so numerous as the Pink-footed, but are increasing
As a bird for the table the present species is perhaps one o f the best of the wild geese ; ani