208 ANATIDiE.
was ot a dull white, and measured 3'4 by 2*4 in. Eggs
produced by the Bean Goose in St. James’s Park were a
little smaller.
Mr. Abel Chapman says that in Northumberland this
Goose makes its appearance about the middle of October.
It feeds entirely inland, and by day; and during severe
winters he is accustomed to see them daily, when out in his
gunning-punt, flying to the fields of liard-corn and clover-
lea at daybreak, returning to the sea coast at dusk. They
do not roost afloat, but on an immense expanse of dry sand
which is seldom covered even at spring-tides. Selby thinks
that our name of Bean Goose has been suggested by the
decided partiality of the bird to pulse and grain; and Mr.
Harvie-Brown states in corroboration that in Stirlingshire it
punishes the farmers’ newly-sown beans in early spring.
Sir R. Payne-Gallwey says that he has seen a gaggle of
Bean Geese alight, and, after some scrutiny, peck and beat
to death a decoy-goose which was entangled in the fastenings
by which it was pegged down; also that he has on several
occasions seen a sentinel bird relieved of his duties by a
companion. He adds that Geese are not very wary at
night, nor do they then appear to possess the powers of vision
of other wild-fowl. Bean Geese are the slaves of weather;
when frost sets in they are driven for sustenance to tidal-
waters ; continued rain and wind keep them inland; a
north wind unsettles them ; a north-east wind, again, will
bring them to the coast in anticipation of frost; a change,
and they are on their travels once more.
The bill is two inches and a quarter in length, nearly as
long as the head; rather slender towards the end, and
pointed; the nail, edges, and base, black, the middle portion
deep orange; irides dark brown; a few white feathers
on the base of the bill; the head and neck, brown, tinged
with grey; back and scapulars darker brown, slightly
tinged with grey; each feather margined with greyish-white;
wing-coverts, secondaries, and tertials, greyish-brown, edged
and tipped with white ; primaries dark greyish-black ; under
wing-coverts ash-brown ; rump blackish-brown; upper tail-
BEAN GOOSE. 269
coverts white; tail-feathers ash-brown, broadly edged with
greyish-white ; neck in front, breast, and belly, dirty white ;
abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts, pure white; legs,
toes, and membranes, orange; the claws black.
The whole length of an adult male is thirty-four inches.
From the carpal joint to the end of the wing nearly nineteen
inches; the second quill-feather the longest in the wing; the
wings when closed reaching considerably beyond the end of
the tail; point of the wing with a prominent callous knob
hidden by the plumage.
Young birds of the year are darker in the general colour of
their plumage, and the markings less distinct, but with a
tinge of tawny colour about the neck.
Two or three young ones were produced in St. James’s
Park by the union of a Bean Goose with a Pink-footed Goose,
next to be described.
Wild Geese, when on the wing together for any distance,
are frequently observed to assume some particular figure. If
there are only three or four birds, they mostly fly in a straight
line one after the other; when more numerous, they assume
a wedge-shaped form like the letter <j placed horizontally,,
the angle in advance, the interval between the side lines
sometimes occupied.