( Ulva latissima); on these plants it resorts to feed as
soon as they are left exposed by the ebbing of the tide,
both by day and night. During high-water time the
flocks of Brent remain out at sea. This Goose breeds
in immense numbers on Spitzbergen and the neighbouring
islands, Novaya Zemlya, the coasts and islands
of Arctic Siberia, and the land to the north as far as
man has yet penetrated. Two races or forms of this
species are said to visit our shores, of which the one
with the underparts somewhat light-coloured comes to
us from the Atlantic; the darker and more common
form from the north-east. The similarity of the calls of
a flock of Brent Geese to the sound of a pack of hounds
in full cry has been alluded to by many writers. The
Brent Goose rarely occurs far from the salt-water, and
in my experience does not thrive for any length of time
in captivity upon ponds: probably some one or other
species of seaweed or other marine product is absolutely
essential to the continued well-being of this bird;
but it is somewhat singular that it should seldom or
never breed, and gradually pine and die in circumstance
that agrees perfectly with its very close congener, the
Bernacle Goose.
For excellent accounts of the Brent Goose from the
sporting point of view, I must refer my readers to
the classic ‘Hawker/ and the recent most interesting
writings of Mr. Abel Chapman.