the Mediterranean ; but in the extreme south its occurrences
are irregular, as they also are to the inland waters of the
Continent. It appears not improbable that it breeds spar-
ingly in some parts of Iceland ; and it certainly does so in
immense numbers on Spitsbergen and the neighbouring
islands, Novaya Zemlya, the coasts and islands of Arctic
Sibeiia, and the land to the north as far as man has yet
penetrated. Returning westward, its breeding range can be
traced to Greenland beyond 73° N. la t.; and thence, throughout
the shores and islands of the Arctic Sea, as far as
82° 30' N., where Major Feilden of H.M.S. ‘ Alert ’ found its
nest. In winter it descends the Atlantic seaboard as far as
Long Island, New York ; sometimes extending its migrations
to Floiida and Texas. On the Pacific side it is replaced by
a closely-allied species, B. nigricans, in which the white on
the middle of the neck forms an almost complete collar, and
the black of the jugulum extends over the breast, fading
slightly into dark brown on the abdomen. This latter
species visits Japan.
I he nest of the Brent Goose is described by Major
Feilden as being placed upon the slopes of the hills between
the line of snow and the sea-ice ; it is composed of a good
foundation of grass, moss, and stems of saxifrages, with a
warm bed of down, in which the eggs, usually four in
numbei, are deposited. The latter are creamy-white in
coloui, smooth in surface of shell, their average measurements
being 2-8 by 1*8 in. The male generally remained
near his mate; and in one instance, after Major Feilden
had shot the female off her nest, the gander came hissing
at him with head bent down and neck close to the ground,
in the same manner as our domestic birds resent intrusion
on tlieii piemises. Both sexes are described as being most
assiduous in taking care of their young.
By the end of July, or early in August, the old birds are
unable to fly, owing to the moult of their quill-feathers, and
undei these circumstances considerable numbers are sometimes
killed, although not without trouble, for they can run
vv ith gieat speed. They rarely dive, except when wounded,
and then only to a limited extent. When searching for food
in shallow places the head and neck are extended below the
surface; and the black line of the assembled multitudes on
our coasts is then seen to be broken and dotted by the raised
white ‘ sterns ’ of the feeding birds. Aquatic plants and
seaweeds, especially Zostera marina, with small crustaceans
and marine insects, form their principal nutriment ; and
from their habit of searching for the former, their northern
names ‘Rotgaus,’ ‘Road Goose,’ i.e., ‘Root Goose,’ appear
to have had their origin.
The call of this species is a loud ‘ cronk,’ or ‘ honk,’ which
can be heard several miles away. Hawker, Wilson, Sheppard
and Whitear, Thompson, and others, have testified to
its resemblance to the sound of a pack of hounds in full
cry; and the last-named ornithologist describes the excitement
of a horse he was riding on being evidently deceived
by the distant notes of a ‘ gaggle ’ of some 500 Brents.
* So far as the Editor can judge from the scanty series with
accurately assigned localities, available for comparison, tlieie
are two forms of this species which visit our shores; the
one with the underparts somewhat light-coloured, from the
Atlantic ; and one with a darker breast and abdomen fiom
Novaya Zemlya, and perhaps Arctic Siberia ; the latter is
not, however, to be confounded with B. nigricans of Alaska.
The darker form appears to be the prevailing one on our east
coast; but Mr. Cordeaux informs the Editor that in the
winter of 1880-81 there was an unusual number of the light-
bellied birds in the Humber district.
In the adult male the bill is black, and only one inch and
a half in length ; the irides very dark brown, almost black ;
the forehead low, the head small and black; the neck all
round black, except a small patch on each side, which is
white, but mixed with a few regularly-placed black featlieis ,
back, scapulars, wing-coverts, and tertials, dark brownish-
black, the edges a little lighter in colour; primary and
secondary quill-feathers black ; the rump black; upper tail-
coverts white ; tail-feathers black; upper part of the breast
black; lower portion of the breast and the belly slate-grey,